Real Madrid's comeback scenario against Arsenal.

Real Madrid haven't given up hope.

If you had to choose a team capable of creating miracles on Champions League nights, Real Madrid would undoubtedly be a top contender. The Bernabéu stadium always provides a special atmosphere that strikes fear into opponents. Coach Carlo Ancelotti once said after the first leg: "In football, anything can happen. At the Bernabéu, miracles often occur."

The difficult situation

A glorious history and a passionate atmosphere are powerful weapons for any team, especially when Real Madrid needs that support. However, the reality on the pitch is still a matter of professional ability. History, tradition, or the fans at the Bernabeu cannot play the game for Real Madrid players when they face an Arsenal team with a solid, perfectly organized defense.

The question is: Do Real Madrid really have what it takes to score three goals at the Bernabeu in the second leg? Their expected goals (xG) of 0.5 from 9 shots in the first leg highlight Real Madrid's poor performance. Early mistakes from Jakub Kiwior and Bukayo Saka created opportunities for Real Madrid. A moment of brilliance from Jude Bellingham presented another chance for Kylian Mbappe, but the La Liga side failed to capitalize.

Once Arsenal had overcome their weaknesses in the first half hour, Real Madrid were almost completely ineffective. William Saliba and his teammates showed solidity. Arsenal had outstanding individuals in defense. Jurrien Timber demonstrated his composure in one-on-one situations with Vinícius Júnior, while Myles Lewis-Skelly compensated for his lack of experience with his innate ability to read the game.

Rodrygo was completely neutralized. At center back, Jakub Kiwior, who was predicted to be a weak point in Gabriel's place, played impressively. "After the game, I feel very good," the Polish player shared. "But I'm keeping a cool head because the biggest challenge is still ahead."

That spirit permeates the entire Arsenal squad. Bearing the mark of difficult times and led by manager Mikel Arteta – who always aims to end a period of ridicule – Arsenal is now a serious, uncompromising team. They are difficult to score against and frustrate opponents in creating chances.

Arsenal have a significant advantage.

When not in possession, Arsenal's defensive block is almost perfect. Fulham midfielder Sander Berge once likened the Gunners' off-ball defensive movement to being "controlled remotely by someone."

Real Madrid's hopes

Arsenal's ball control is their most effective defensive weapon. They only attack when their defense is ready. In this Premier League season, only one team has conceded fewer counter-attacking shots than Arsenal. This is even more impressive considering they frequently push forward.

The last time Arsenal conceded three goals was in their 4-3 win against Luton in December 2023. Losing by three goals – the condition that would allow Real Madrid to level the aggregate score in the tie – is something Arsenal haven't experienced in almost two years.

However, if Arsenal continue to push forward and maintain their possession-based style of play, Real Madrid can hope for counter-attacks. "Los Blancos" have some of the fastest and most transitional players in the world right now.

Arsenal's current form isn't outstanding either. Both Brentford and Everton managed to draw with Arsenal, taking advantage of their defensive errors. Real Madrid are clearly on a different level compared to Everton or Brentford. Although "Los Blancos" played poorly in the first leg, the second leg promises to be a game-changer.

They will play more aggressively in attack. Jude Bellingham will focus less on marking Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka, instead pushing forward to support Mbappé and Vinícius. Rodrygo will also no longer frequently drop back to shield Federico Valverde. Real Madrid needs to go all-out on attack from the very first minute.

With their current squad of talented players, fans have every right to believe Real Madrid are capable of scoring at least three goals. The remaining issues are time and defensive ability. If "Los Blancos" cannot score early in the second leg, they will become impatient and give Arsenal a psychological advantage.

And what happens when Arsenal overcome Real Madrid's shaky midfield and defense over the past two months? Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Odegaard are all excellent counter-attacking players, while the Bernabeu side have been conceding goals consistently lately.

Real Madrid have kept only one clean sheet in their last 10 matches, against Alavés in La Liga last weekend. In 15 of their last 17 games, their opponents have had at least 10 shots. This season, Ancelotti's team have conceded an average of over 1.05 expected goals (xG) per game, and in the Champions League, this number rises to 1.4 xG.

Their only clean sheet was against Brest – a team with no motivation left. However, UEFA's removal of the away goals rule gives Real Madrid more opportunities. They only need to focus primarily on attacking, and simply score the necessary number of goals.

Based on their performance in the first leg and the professional statistics, Real Madrid's strongest weapon right now is probably just the Bernabéu glory and the belief in their ability to turn the tide. And in football, anything can happen.

Goals from Aston Villa's victory over PSG: In the early hours of April 16th, Aston Villa defeated PSG 3-2 but were still eliminated with an aggregate score of 5-4 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Source: https://znews.vn/kich-ban-real-loi-nguoc-dong-arsenal-post1546239.html