Real Madrid have warned Arsenal to expect a “very long” 90 minutes at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. The Champions League holders will need to make history if they are to keep their title defence alive, but are not giving uo.
Arsenal won 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, with Declan Rice scoring twice. Madrid have never come back from a three-goal first leg deficit in the competition, but produced stirring late comebacks during their runs to glory in 2022 and 2024.
In 2022, they scored twice in the final minute to take their semi-final against Manchester City to extra-time, eventually prevailing 6-5 on aggregate. Then, as the same stage last season, they were two minutes from elimination against Bayern Munich before a Joselu brace turned the tie on its head.
UEFA have granted the holders a request to close the roof at their home ground for the match. The measure is set to make for a huge atmosphere, with supporters roaring on Carlo Ancelotti’s side as they chase a comeback.
On the morning of the Arsenal second leg, Real Madrid shared a social media post in which they ask an AI to translate a phrase into as many languages as possible. The English translation reads: “Ninety minutes at the Bernabeu are very long.”
“There is an expectation from around the world that when we get into these kind of holes that we can come back even if it is a really tough one and a really difficult one,” Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham said in a pre-match press conference. “I think probably in England it is not as common but it has happened as well.
“It is just because the club have done it so many times and that is what is so impressive about the size of this club. The expectation is obviously huge.
“But it is a nice feeling. It means there is a lot of trust in the talent. It means you are at a club that has put a lot of effort in and it is infectious. That is what it represents and signifies to me.”
Manager Ancelotti has also been cautiously optimistic about his team’s chances. “Real Madrid has all the resources we need to turn this tie around,” the Italian told reporters.
“We have the quality, commitment, the experience of many players and we have the fans. We have the resources, we just have to get the best out of each player. In previous years they didn’t say we played spectacular football either, which may be true. More than just spectacular, we want to play effective football.”
He also talked up the atmosphere at the Bernabeu, adding: “This atmosphere has helped us a lot and it will do so again. It’s the same pitch and the colour of the grass is the same, but there’s an atmosphere around us that drives you on.”
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