Real Madrid are still reeling from a heavy 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, but spirits remain high within the camp. As the decisive second leg approaches at the Santiago Bernabéu, midfield star Jude Bellingham addressed the squad’s mindset and belief in a historic ‘remontada’.
Los Blancos have endured a rough patch lately—first suffering a 2-1 loss to Valencia in La Liga, followed by the humbling night in London. Though they bounced back with a narrow 1-0 victory over Deportivo Alavés, concerns linger about their current form. However, Bellingham remained upbeat during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“By the time we were back on the bus in London, we were already believing we could turn the tie around. We’re going into this game with the mentality that a comeback is the only outcome. We trust the club’s history, and we believe this team can create something special,” said Bellingham.
The English international also shared insights into the team’s atmosphere: “The most repeated word in the dressing room these last few days is ‘Remontada’ (Comeback)! Everyone around us believes in it too—and that’s something that only happens at Real Madrid.”
Real Madrid will host the second leg on Wednesday night, hoping their home crowd can provide the energy needed to pull off the improbable. However, recent history offers little encouragement.
The Stats Are Against Real Madrid
Despite the belief flowing through the team and fanbase, the odds are heavily stacked against Real Madrid. Statistically, a comeback from a 3-0 first-leg deficit has never been achieved by the Spanish giants in Champions League history.
Their most famous turnaround came in the 2015–16 quarterfinals, when they erased a 2-0 first-leg deficit to Wolfsburg with a stunning 3-0 win at the Bernabéu, thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat trick.
On top of that, Madrid have never beaten Arsenal in European competition. The two clubs previously met in the 2005–06 Round of 16, where a 1-0 win for the Gunners at the Bernabéu and a goalless draw in London sent Arsenal through. That same year, Arsenal reached the final but fell to FC Barcelona.