Real Madrid Suffer Heavy Defeat in the First Leg of Champions League Quarterfinal

Real Madrid’s European campaign took a dramatic downturn as they fell 0-3 to a dominant Arsenal in the first leg of the 2024-2025 Champions League quarterfinals. The hosts delivered a masterclass, with Declan Rice stealing the spotlight with two stunning free-kick goals, while Mikel Merino sealed the victory with a clinical third.

On the other hand, stars like Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé completely struggled to create meaningful chances for Real Madrid as their attacking efforts repeatedly stifled by Arsenal’s iron defense. This defeat extends their alarming Champions League record this season — Carlo Ancelotti’s side have now gone four consecutive matches in the competition without scoring a single goal.

Madrid’s struggles were foreshadowed by their recent La Liga loss to Valencia and a grueling Round of 16 clash against Atlético Madrid, where they narrowly advanced via penalties (4-2) after a 1-1 aggregate stalemate.