When Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti muttered the words “anything can happen” following their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, it carried more than a whiff of both realism and hope. Real Madrid’s aura of invincibility in Europe has been forged through impossible comebacks, last-gasp goals, and nights when logic was suspended. But this time, even the maestro of miracles sounded unconvinced.
Facing a three-goal deficit at this stage of the tournament is uncharted territory for even Europe’s most decorated club. Declan Rice’s spectacular brace from free-kicks and Mikel Merino’s fine finish at the Emirates have left Madrid needing one of the greatest turnarounds in Champions League history to reach the semi-finals. “If you look at the game [last week] there is no possibility,” Ancelotti admitted. “But nobody expected Rice would score two goals from set-pieces, so in football anything can happen.”
Real Madrid’s English star Jude Bellingham echoed the sentiment, revealing that the word ‘Remontada’ has been the most frequently uttered term in the dressing room. “Tomorrow is an opportunity for us to do something for the first time,” he said. “It’s a weird environment… for some reason everyone thinks it’s nailed on that we’ll come back.”
History Says No—But Real Madrid Usually Says Yes
The weight of Champions League history is not on Real Madrid’s side this time. Coming back from a 3-0 first-leg defeat is something they have only accomplished once—in 1975-76 against Derby County in the European Cup era. In more recent memory, a similar deficit in the 2012-13 semi-final against Borussia Dortmund proved too much, even after a 2-0 second-leg win at home.
Such comebacks are extremely rare. Only four teams have overturned a three-goal or greater first-leg deficit in the Champions League era: Deportivo La Coruna in 2004, Roma in 2018, Liverpool in 2019, and of course, Barcelona’s iconic ‘La Remontada’ against PSG in 2017. The odds this time are stacked against Real. According to Opta, Arsenal have an 89.7% chance of advancing.
Guillem Balague offered a scathing critique of Real Madrid’s current structure. “They depend a lot on individuals, as always,” he said. “They ran 12km less than Arsenal [in the first leg]… I don’t think that’s possible, not with this team.”
Arsenal Hold All the Cards
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu in unfamiliar territory—comfortable and in control. The first-leg masterclass was their 12th instance as an English side winning by three or more goals in a Champions League knockout match. On all 11 prior occasions, the English team progressed.
The Gunners’ European pedigree may not match Real Madrid’s, but they have quietly built an impressive continental record. They have advanced in six of the eight ties where they led after the first leg. What’s more, they have never lost to Real Madrid in European competition, securing two wins and a draw without conceding a single goal.
While pundits like Alessandro Costacurta and Fabio Capello still back Real Madrid out of sheer reverence, the evidence is compellingly in Arsenal’s favor. This isn’t a clash between equals—it’s a challenge for Arsenal to maintain composure and for Real Madrid to summon magic once again.
But This is the Bernabeu—And This is Real Madrid
For all the statistical logic, there’s a deeper force at play when Real Madrid take to the pitch at the Bernabeu on a Champions League night. As Jude Bellingham aptly put it: “It’s a night that’s made for Real Madrid.”
The 2021-22 season offered the clearest example of Real Madrid’s mystical European resilience. Then, they recovered from near-certain elimination against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City—each time turning the tide with moments of brilliance and belief. Last season, it was a semi-final comeback against Bayern Munich, engineered in the dying minutes.
“We know we’re strong at home with our fans,” said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. “If we score one or two quickly… I think it’s possible.” The sentiment is not without basis. In Madrid, belief and history often defy reality.
La Remontada—A Final Chapter or Another Classic?
As Real Madrid prepare to host Arsenal, the football world waits in anticipation. Will this be the night Arsenal shake off their underdog tag and assert themselves as true European contenders? Or will Madrid once again conjure one of their fabled European nights, adding another unforgettable chapter to their mythic Champions League story?
Ancelotti’s cautious tone has not dampened the mood in the Madrid camp. For Bellingham and his teammates, the mission is clear: “Add another special night.” For Arsenal, the goal is equally simple—avoid becoming the latest victim of Real Madrid’s most famous tradition: the comeback.
Either way, the world will be watching. Because when Real Madrid are on the brink in the Champions League, anything truly can happen.
