Spanish newspapers have echoed a sentiment of despair after Real Madrid failed to even hint at staging a remontada against Arsenal in the Champions League.
Los Blancos were dumped out of the competition in the quarter-finals as the Gunners held firm at the Bernabeu, following up their 3-0 thrashing in the first-leg with a stoppage time win in Spain.
After Vinicius Jr pounced on a William Saliba error to cancel out Bukayo Saka’s 65th-minute opener moments after play restarted, Mikel Arteta’s side rubbed salt in the wounds to nick victory on the night at the death, with Gabriel Martinelli slotting home to take the aggregate score to 5-1 over the whole tie.
In the week leading up to kick-off, much of the build centred around Real Madrid’s tendency to perform miracles in Europe, tipping a famous remontada as they looked to overturn a mountainous three-goal deficit.
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side failed to truly test Arsenal’s resolve, with their star-studded attack appearing toothless for much of the contest. Even when they scored, it was due to a major Gunners error as Saliba fell asleep on the ball.
With the Champions League holders withering in their fight to keep their title defence alive, the Spanish frontpages could only blast the efforts of the Galacticos come Thursday morning.
Marca, a notoriously pro-Real newspaper, said: “If you don’t play anything, there will be no miracles”, hitting out at the club’s inability to even put the Londoners under the cosh.
A similar feeling was displayed by Diario AS, who insisted that this Real Madrid were never capable of such a comeback by writing: “It was just a dream”.
Mundo Deportivo were inclined to heap praise on Arsenal rather than blast the Madristas, hailing Bukayo Saka and his teammates as “immune to the pressure” posed by the Bernabeu.
Catalan outlet L’Esportiu were in high spirits, meanwhile, making light of Real Madrid’s “exercise of impotence”. Real’s failure came a day after rivals Barcelona progressed to the last four, despite suffering a 3-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the second leg.
Arsenal will now turn focus to the semi-finals, in which they face the test of PSG, who held off their own riotous comeback against Aston Villa to progress.
In the other semi-final, Barcelona will lock horns with Inter Milan after the Nerazzurri edged past Bayern Munich.
