Champions League: Responses of 1. Arsenal quarter -final match – Real Madrid

BRATISLAVA. It was seen not only on their faces. Real Madrid’s midfielder Jude Bellingham stood with his hands, looking at a big screen above the corner full of dancing and blousing fans of Arsenal. He grabbed his head and bloated his cheeks.

It was a gesture that spoke for everything. « We were lucky that we got only three goals, they could be much more, » Bellingham admitted.

The Promadride March daily on the margo of Real announced: « Fatal injured. » Arsenal footballers in the first quarterfinal of the Champions League destroyed Real in a ratio of 3: 0, which is the difference of class.

« No spark, no soul, no football. A tragic evening, an unworthy European champion, » said José María Rodríguez.

His colleague JL Calderon did not spare even a cult coach. « The Madriders went through the suffering on the pitch and Carlo Ancelotti in the technical zone. The captain did not jump out of the ship, but let it sink. »

Arsenal dominated almost everything. Jakub Kiwior, former player of Podbrezová and MŠK Žilina, played the whole match. He stood in the middle of the defense that did not collect.

Hero Rice

« The boss of the wrecked ship. He saw what happened and did not see it. He couldn’t get the team out of the constipation and the pressure to which Arsenal got him from the opening whistle. The changes did not bring anything.

The hero of the match was midfielder Declan Rice. « I just believed and hit it. It has not hit me yet, but I’m excited, happy, in the seventh heaven. I think only a few years I realize that what I did today was really special, » he described according to uefa.com.

In the summer of 2023, Arsenal redeemed him from West Ham United for an astronomical 105 million pounds. At the same time, Declan Rice became the most expensive Englishman in the history of the Premier League.

He played 338 matches in his professional career, but never scored a free kick before. On Tuesday evening he gave them two. Famously. One nicer than the other. Against the defense attorney trophies and the largest club in the history of football. And in the world’s best competition.

Video: Declara Rice’s goal to 2: 0

What is the chance?

« He was very determined because we told him that we haven’t scored from a direct kick since September 2021. It’s been a long time, so scoring two goals from the same player who never scored a free kick in his career ……. What chance it is?

Rice is the first player to score two goals from direct kicks in the championship of the Champions League. In both cases it was precisely placed missiles.

« It has not happened long ago that Los Blancos suffered such a severe blow in Europe, » JL Calderon said. He started mainly into Real’s offensive stars.

« They did so after the calamity performance in which Vinicius led a resigned attack triple, which passed without a bigger fanfare. »

« Vinicius, Mbappé and Rodrygo showed no signs of life. Without threatening, the Madriders were a toy in the hands of Arsenal, who scattered them from the beginning to the end, » added the editor of Marca.

I don’t know where he was

Kylian Mbappé was given an below -average mark. « Failure and wrong judgment. As gray as the jersey he wore, » Calderon described it. The Brazilian Vinicius also received a four.

« Completely out of the game. Passes for empty, unnecessary stacks, zero defensive …. I don’t know where he was all night, but certainly not on Emirates, » Calderon said.

The best player of Real was goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who may have had three or four brilliant interventions. Otherwise, Real would also lose the difference of two classes.

Especially in the second half, the Madridians disappeared from the field, which even more deepened all the symptoms that have been manifested for several weeks.

Real has lost the third competition in a row. Of the last six, he won only two.

« We must be honest in criticism and evaluation of ourselves. We were unable to show a common reaction. We tried to do it with individual actions, but we were punished and we lost control. The opponent played better with the ball, » Ancelotti admitted.

Incredibly special

« When it was 0: 0, I was happy, but then the reaction (to the goal scored) was very bad. We tried to keep the compact form, which brought us some good moments, but today we also had some bad moments, » Antotti pointed out.

The retaliation is played in a week in Madrid.

« Hard to believe in a miracle in eight days, » March wrote. Real players, however, believe. Not once they were able to turn the match.

« But there is a second match and we will need something incredibly special. One never knows, but I can’t come and say we’re giving up, it’s not in the nature of the club and the mentality they instill, » Bellingham thinks.

If someone can reverse almost impossible, it is Real. He often did it. And several times just under the leadership of Ancelotti.

« It seems that there is no chance after this dinner, but it is possible in football. No one expected Arsenal to score two goals from a free kick. Bernabéu happens many times. »

« The chances are very small, but we have to try. We’ll see if we succeed, » concluded Ancelotti.