Jude Bellingham praised Arsenal for being “really good” after their commanding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg but warned that “anything can happen” in the return fixture at the Bernabéu.
The Gunners delivered a dominant performance at the Emirates Stadium, with Declan Rice netting two stunning free-kicks and Mikel Merino adding a third to put Mikel Arteta’s side in firm control of the tie.
Bellingham admitted that Real Madrid were far from their best and acknowledged that it would take “something crazy” for the Spanish giants to overturn the deficit in the second leg. However, the England international remained hopeful, pointing to the Bernabéu’s reputation for producing dramatic comebacks.
Bellingham’s Honest Assessment
“We were nowhere near our level tonight, and Arsenal were really good,” Bellingham told Amazon Prime. “Even though two of their goals came from free-kicks, they could have scored more.
“But we have the second leg, and that’s what we’re holding onto. We need something special, something crazy—and if there’s one place where crazy things happen, it’s our home. We’ve got 90 minutes left to turn things around. We’re still alive, and at the Bernabéu, anything is possible.”
Rice, who had never scored directly from a free-kick before, stunned Thibaut Courtois twice with his precision strikes. Bellingham praised his England teammate’s brilliance but stressed that Madrid’s lack of attacking threat cost them dearly.
“Those were two moments of pure quality from Dec,” Bellingham said. “But even without those, Arsenal created plenty. At this level, you get punished if you don’t take your chances. We didn’t do enough to trouble them.”
Ancelotti Acknowledges Arsenal’s Superiority
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti conceded that Arsenal were the better side but vowed to fight until the end.
“The result reflects that Arsenal were much stronger than us tonight,” Ancelotti said. “For 60 minutes, it was competitive, but their two incredible free-kicks changed the game. Mentally, we dropped after that.
“Now, the second leg will be extremely difficult—but we have to try.”
Arsenal’s Season Revitalized
After falling 11 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and crashing out of domestic cup competitions, Arsenal’s campaign risked fading away. However, their emphatic win over Madrid has reignited their season, putting them within touching distance of a Champions League final.
Defender William Saliba summed up the mood in the Arsenal camp:
“Big night, big performance, amazing atmosphere—and a huge win. We’re proud to beat a top team like Madrid in front of our fans. Now, we have to stay focused and finish the job.”
With the second leg looming, all eyes will be on whether Real Madrid can summon another historic European comeback—or if Arsenal will secure their place in the semi-finals.
