By Pratyasha Sarkar | Modified April 16, 2025
Football fans flooded social media after Arsenal stunned Real Madrid with a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. After a 3-0 triumph at the Emirates on April 8, the Gunners wrapped it up with a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 16.
The first half of the second leg saw missed opportunities, including a penalty miss by Bukayo Saka in the 13th minute and a VAR-overturned penalty claim for Kylian Mbappe. However, Saka redeemed himself by scoring in the 65th minute. Vinicius Jr. responded quickly with a goal in the 67th minute, briefly sparking hopes of a comeback.
Those hopes were dashed when Gabriel Martinelli scored in stoppage time (90+3′), sealing Arsenal’s progression to the semi-finals – their first since 2009.
Fans quickly reacted on X (formerly Twitter), mocking Madrid’s failed comeback attempt. Calls for manager Carlo Ancelotti to step down were widespread. One fan posted, “Where is Remontada??” while another wrote, “Ancelotti should leave my club tomorrow.” Others praised Arsenal, calling them “the real Galácticos,” and criticized Madrid players for hyping a comeback they never believed in.
This is Arsenal’s third time reaching the UCL semi-finals, having last done so in 2008-09. They will now face PSG. Meanwhile, it’s the first time Real Madrid have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage since their 2004 defeat to Monaco.
Ancelotti Responds After Heavy Loss
Speaking after the match, Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged Arsenal’s superiority, stating:
“The team tried. We couldn’t turn it around. Arsenal deserved it. Football has two faces—joy and sadness. We’ve experienced a lot of joy, and now it’s our turn to face the disappointment.”
Despite the setback, Ancelotti highlighted that Madrid remain in contention for other major titles: La Liga, the Copa del Rey (where they will meet Barcelona in the final on April 26), and the Club World Cup. They currently sit second in La Liga, trailing Barcelona by four points with seven games to go.
