People say 90 minutes is a lot of time at Real Madrid`s Santiago Bernabeu stadium. But even if the game had been much longer, Real Madrid wouldn`t have been able to recover from the strong lead Arsenal established a week prior.
Arsenal wasn`t going to hand Madrid an easy win, and the reigning champions couldn`t take it for themselves. If William Saliba hadn`t played so confidently, as if Arsenal were already winning 4-0 against Real Madrid, they could have achieved a fourth consecutive clean sheet against this formidable opponent.
When Vinicius Junior scored, and the Bernabeu crowd started to believe again, Arsenal showed their true strength. For about 15 minutes, or even longer, nothing much happened that would suggest Real Madrid could stage a comeback, which seemed unlikely even before the match began.
Declan Rice intercepted passes, dominated midfield battles, and drove the ball forward. Myles Lewis-Skelly cleverly feigned one direction, fooling his defender. Jakub Kiwior, often seen as a weaker player, confidently controlled the ball with his head to pass it back to goalkeeper David Raya.
Bukayo Saka, who was instrumental in silencing Madrid in the first leg, and who had worked hard to recover fitness for these crucial games, was seen tracking back into his own penalty area to intercept a through ball. In contrast, none of Madrid`s famous attacking trio were seen doing such defensive work.
Real Madrid`s first real chance of the night didn`t come until Endrick`s shot went wide in the 91st minute. This was the first time Arsenal`s defense had been truly threatened since Jude Bellingham set up Kylian Mbappe in the first leg at Arsenal`s home ground.
This victory was about teamwork and strategy over individual brilliance. For five years, coach Mikel Arteta has built a team that not only defends together but enjoys doing so. The talk of a Real Madrid comeback didn`t seem to bother them. They had a plan to defeat Madrid, and they executed it perfectly.
Arsenal comfortably dropped into a 4-4-2 defensive formation, allowing Madrid space on the wings, confident in the abilities of Jurrien Timber and Lewis-Skelly in one-on-one situations. When Madrid lost possession, which happened frequently, Gabriel Martinelli was ready to launch quick counter-attacks.
Martinelli wasn`t rushing his attacks and remained composed, ensuring Arsenal established a strong presence in Madrid`s final third, where they could exploit a weakened defense.
Ignoring the penalties, Arsenal clearly controlled this game. When they sensed the moment, they even managed to get the home crowd chanting “ole,” silencing a stadium that was supposed to intimidate them.
They were also helped by a struggling opponent. From the moment their wrongly awarded penalty was overturned, Real Madrid seemed to lose their attacking direction. Their crosses into the box were aimless. Perhaps resorting to simply crossing the ball was their easy option, as their midfield strategy seemed to rely on hoping Toni Kroos would return from retirement.
With eight games left this season, Carlo Ancelotti, known for managing star players, still hasn`t found a system where Mbappe and Vinicius can perform to their full potential together.
Madrid may now focus on next season, but Arsenal`s focus is firmly on the present. Paris Saint-Germain will be a much tougher challenge in the next round, and that matchup should be more exciting for neutral fans – like watching a fast-paced basketball team against a dominant, defensive football team. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes won`t allow Saka and Martinelli as much freedom. Thomas Partey will be missed in the first leg, although Jorginho is a capable replacement.
Even if this semifinal doesn`t go as planned, Arsenal will likely be back in the Champions League soon. This team has consistently improved after setbacks over the past three years, pushing their rivals harder. Only a significant number of injuries slowed them down in the Premier League.
Key players in this Arsenal team are still improving and have their best years ahead. Now they understand their potential. If anyone questions William Saliba`s status as a top center-back, he just needs to show them the clip of him expertly stopping Mbappe`s close-range shot. Penalty misses seem to motivate Saka, who soon after scored a beautiful chip over Thibaut Courtois. And Rice? He already has a Champions League quarterfinal performance that will be remembered as the “Declan Rice quarterfinals.” At 26, he`s playing like one of the world`s best midfielders.
Arsenal are rightfully at the top level again, something not seen since the “Invincibles” era. They have achieved their greatest Champions League victory, or at least, their greatest so far.