Apr 15, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Actual Madrid suffered an ancient 3-0 hammering ultimate week towards Arsenal within the first leg in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal in London.
Mikel Arteta’s facet bossed the sport with extra ownership (53.3%), photographs on the right track (11-3) and passes within the ultimate 3rd (125-80) as Carlo Ancelotti & Co. appeared totally misplaced within the face of the Gunners’ drive. Two shocking unfastened kicks from Declan Rice and a close-range end by means of Mikel Merino gave the Premier League facet a pleasing cushion heading into Wednesday’s moment leg on the Bernabéu, and just a string of sensible saves by means of Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved issues from getting worse.
Editor’s Choices
2 Comparable
The dangerous information for Actual Madrid is that their Champions League destiny turns out all however sealed; the excellent news for his or her lovers, then again, is that Los Blancos aren’t any strangers to outstanding comebacks on this pageant. Finally, there’s a explanation why they have got been topped champions of Europe extra instances than some other membership (Madrid have 15 Ecu Cup/Champions League crowns courting again to 1956, with AC Milan in moment with seven.)
So, forward of Wednesday’s sport, listed below are some epic comebacks from contemporary historical past that may have Actual Madrid lovers dreaming of a semifinal berth.
Champions League semifinal vs. Bayern Munich, 2023-24
First leg: Bayern Munich 2-2 Actual Madrid
2d leg: Actual Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich
The street to Actual Madrid’s fifteenth name noticed them bear a big scare within the ultimate 4 after they confronted six-time champions Bayern Munich. The primary leg in Germany ended 2-2, with two Vinícius Júnior consequences cancelling out Leroy Sané and Harry Kane’s objectives.
The go back leg on the Bernabéu promised sparks, and it didn’t disappoint. Alphonso Davies gave the Bavarians the lead within the 68th minute and it appeared as although Bayern had been cruising into the overall. Alternatively, an sudden hero gave the impression, as journeyman ahead Joselu entered the sport within the 81st minute to exchange midfielder Federico Valverde and supply some other risk up entrance.
Within the 88th minute, Joselu was once completely positioned within the field to faucet house the unfastened ball after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer could not grasp Vinícius’ shot. Then, with the sport heading to additional time, he guided house Antonio Rüdiger’s low go within the 91st minute to provide Madrid a surprising combination win.
Madrid would cross directly to defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 within the ultimate, with objectives from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius sealing some other unforgettable Ecu victory.
Champions League semifinal vs. Manchester Town, 2021-22
First leg: Manchester Town 4-3 Actual Madrid
2d leg: Actual Madrid 3-1 Manchester Town
Clashes between Actual Madrid and Manchester Town in recent times have equipped quite a few thrills, and their 2021-22 semifinal was once no exception. Town ran out 4-3 winners within the first leg with objectives from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and David Silva hanging them 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 up at more than a few issues within the sport. However the Bernabéu would play host to some other magical Ecu night time in the second one leg.
Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring within the 73rd minute for Guardiola’s facet, making it 5-3 on combination and apparently settling the tie, however up popped Rodrygo, who got here off the bench with 20 mins closing to attain two times in second-half damage time and power the tie into additional time. First he was once readily available to faucet house a Karim Benzema go, and rarely a minute later, he headed house a Carvajal go to ship the sport to additional time.
The momentum obviously with Madrid after that flurry, Rúben Dias fouled Benzema within the ninety fifth minute and Vinícius transformed to provide Madrid a 6-5 combination lead that booked their position within the ultimate. The Brazil world then scored the one objective of the showpiece towards Liverpool in Paris to assert some other crown for Madrid.
Champions League quarterfinal vs. Chelsea, 2021-22
First leg: Chelsea 1-3 Actual Madrid
2d leg: Actual Madrid 2-3 Chelsea
Ahead of Madrid staged their epic comeback towards Town, that they had to conquer protecting champions Chelsea. Los Blancos if truth be told led 3-1 after the primary leg because of a Benzema hat trick at Stamford Bridge, and so they had been pressured to make a perfect get away in the second one leg after just about throwing the tie away.
The Blues got here out on the Bernabéu decided to degree a comeback, with Mason Mount scoring within the fifteenth minute to halve the deficit. Alternatively, panic ensued in a while after half-time when Antonio Rüdiger (then enjoying for Chelsea) headed house Mount’s nook to make it 2-0 to Chelsea at the night time and 3-3 on combination. Timo Werner then made it 3-0 to Chelsea after Marcos Alonso had a Chelsea objective disallowed by means of VAR for handball and Benzema had rattled the submit for Los Blancos.
However Rodrygo levelled issues on combination within the eightieth minute, beating Blues goalkeeper Édouard Mendy to a Luka Modrić go, sooner than Benzema finished the fightback in additional time by means of heading house from Vinícius’ low, clipped supply.
Champions League spherical of 16 vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 2021-22
First leg: PSG 1-0 Actual Madrid
2d leg: Actual Madrid 3-1 PSG
That is proper: it was once some other epic comeback in the similar season! Ahead of they rallied to overcome Chelsea and Town, PSG had been at the receiving finish of Los Blancos‘ never-say-die spirit.
On the time, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé shaped a star-studded attacking trio for the French giants, which made for a hectic first leg in Paris that was once gained by means of Mbappé’s 94th minute objective. The second one leg then started with Mbappé doubling PSG’s combination merit with a thirty ninth minute end, leaving Madrid wanting 3 objectives as a way to growth.
The hero in this night time on the Bernabéu was once Benzema, who scored a 17-minute hat-trick in the second one 1/2 to raise Los Blancos into the quarterfinal. He seized on a Gianluigi Donnarumma mistake within the 61st minute for his first, thundered house a shot from Modrić’s cross within the 76th for his moment and, slightly a minute later, recommended a surprising shot into the ground nook after some fantastic means play by means of Vinícius.
Champions League ultimate vs. Atlético Madrid, 2013-14
Actual Madrid 4-1 Atlético Madrid (AET)
One among Actual Madrid’s maximum memorable Champions League comebacks got here all over the overall by which they claimed Los angeles Decima, their long-awaited tenth Ecu crown — and, to make it even sweeter, towards their native opponents.
Atleti took the lead within the thirty sixth minute with a objective from Diego Godín, after a major error by means of veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The sport was once ruled by means of Madrid, however they lacked incisiveness in spite of their megastar energy, as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Benzema, Ángel Di María and Modrić had been all in large part underwhelming.
With time operating out in Lisbon, the desperation was once obvious for Ancelotti & Co., however then alongside got here a second referred to as the “90 and Ramos.” It was once within the 93rd minute, when Modrić boomed in a nook, Sergio Ramos rose and struck an impressive header some distance past the achieve of goalkeeper then-Atleti keeper Courtois, sending the sport into additional time.
With Diego Simeone’s group exhausted from protecting their lead for see you later and disheartened by means of shedding it so overdue, the added length was once an insignificant formality for Madrid. Bale gave them the lead following a very good transfer by means of Di María, that was once adopted by means of a objective from Marcelo sooner than Ronaldo added the cherry on best from the penalty spot to finish a well-known 4-1 victory.
