If Real Madrid want to make a great comeback at the Bernabeu, their task is to score at least 3 goals. However, against Arsenal's resilient, intelligent and well-coached defense, Los Blancos are not threatening enough. Their only goal came from a mistake by Arsenal centre-back William Saliba.
There was a lot of noise at the Bernabeu. The crowd stood up every time Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo had the ball, but in terms of final results, it was very small. Goalkeeper David Raya only had 2 saves in the return match, and Mbappe did not have a shot on target. Even when the final goal came, it was thanks to Vinicius to put pressure on Saliba and win the ball to create opportunities for himself.
The "White Vultures" midfield is a problem throughout the season. Against Arsenal, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham did not create enough creativity. Therefore, Real's attack must find opportunities for themselves.
It is no surprise that Dani Ceballos - the only player in the Real Madrid squad who currently provides passing ability, creates rhythm and ingenuity in midfield - has warmed up before the break.
Rodrygo was also released after an hour, replaced with Endrick. Vinicius finally scored 6 minutes later. However, this goal did not work as expected to encourage the team's spirit. Mbappe's injury - who was left comfortably in the 75th minute due to an ankle problem - ended another disappointing night for him and the team.
"It's clearly a disappointment to be out of the Champions League. We were very happy, we were very happy, but not today. The truth is Arsenal played better than us in both games, and I think they deserved to be in the semi-finals.
I told the players to lift their heads. We have done better than some other teams this season and in football, you can't keep winning. I like the attitude of the players today, they did not give up, they fought until the last minute" - coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the loss to Arsenal.
Real Madrid's season is not over yet. They are 4 points behind Barcelona in La Liga with 7 remaining matches, including 1 El Clasico match. They will also meet Blaugrana in the Copa del Rey final at the end of April. However, being left out of the Champions League is still a big blow for Ancelotti's team.
There will be no time for Real to worry about this result. They will face Athletic Bilbao, who are seeking a place in the Champions League, this weekend. After that, the match against Getafe promises to be very difficult.
"Today is sad but I'm not worried at all about how the players play. We will fight, we will try to play better in the next matches. The season continues and we still have a chance to win 2 titles. We need to prepare quickly for the next match," Ancelotti added.
