The term most frequently mentioned by Real Madrid players and supporters this week was “la remontada,” which translates to “the comeback.”
Historically, Real Madrid has succeeded in making comebacks; on three out of the last four occasions when they trailed after the first leg in the Champions League, they managed to overcome the deficit and advance—against Wolfsburg in 2015-16, and again in 2021-22 against PSG and Manchester City.
As a result, Real’s players were justified in speaking with confidence before the match. However, they were outperformed by Arsenal for the majority of both legs in this tie.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti must now redirect his focus back to La Liga, as Real finds themselves four points behind Barcelona in their attempt to defend their title.
Ancelotti’s future has been a hot topic in Spain for much of the season. He admitted that his position at Real Madrid is uncertain and suggested that his time at the club could come to an end as soon as “tomorrow.” Despite this, he expressed his gratitude to the club, regardless of the outcome.
Madrid appeared to be a shadow of the team that won the Champions League in two of the last three seasons, as they were clearly outplayed by Arsenal across both legs.
The 65-year-old manager has achieved 11 trophies during his second stint at the club, including two league titles, two Champions League titles, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Ancelotti is under contract until 2026 and has been linked to the vacant Brazil national team coaching position. He has previously indicated that he will discuss his future in the summer.
When asked if he would still be in charge by the time the Club World Cup begins in June, Ancelotti replied,
“I can’t speak about this right now. It is possible that the club may decide to change coaches. It could happen this year, or next when my contract expires; there’s no problem. It could be tomorrow, in ten days, in a month, or in a year. Regardless, all I can do is thank the club—whether my contract is up or not, I don’t care.”
