"Arsenal did nothing in the first half."

On the 17th (Korea time), Real Madrid lost 1-2 to Arsenal in the home leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg held at Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain, for the 2024-2025 season.

After being defeated 0-3 in the previous away first leg, Real was ultimately eliminated from the tournament with a total score of 1-5. They also could not preserve their pride as the 'defending champion.'

Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, and Rodrygo formed a triangle of attackers, with Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Federico Valverde in midfield, and David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asensio, and Lucas Vázquez in defense. Thibaut Courtois guarded the goal.

Real's attacks were repeatedly blocked by Arsenal's organized defense.

Real pushed hard from the beginning of the first half. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Vinícius's shot narrowly missed the goal, and although a penalty kick was given to Arsenal shortly after, Courtois saved Bukayo Saka's Panenka kick to rescue the team.

In the 24th minute of the first half, it seemed that Mbappé earned a penalty kick, but it was nullified after a VAR review. The first half ended 0-0.

In the 20th minute of the second half, Real allowed the opening goal to Bukayo Saka, who received a pass from Mikel Merino, increasing the aggregate score to 0-4. Real countered immediately. Two minutes later, Vinícius scored a consolation goal capitalizing on a mistake by William Saliba. However, no further goals were scored.

Substitutions also failed to make an impact. Despite attempts to change the momentum, they conceded a late goal to Martinelli during added time, wrapping up the match with a 1-2 defeat.

After the match, Vázquez, who appeared in the mixed zone, said, "It was a really difficult match. We did not create chances as we wanted," hanging his head. He added, "Although we did not lose hope during the match, the flow of the game was interrupted frequently, and the overall balance did not tilt in our favor. We could not play as we wanted."

When asked about the technical aspects, he reflected, "We needed clearer decisions when we had the ball. In particular, we lacked patience in shifting the ball from side to side to unsettle the defense."

He also mentioned Arsenal's tactics. "Arsenal did nothing in the first half. To be clear, they were a team that came only to defend. However, in the second half, when we were building up our attack, they altered the outcome with one shot," criticizing Arsenal's tactics.

In fact, Arsenal operated defensively for most of the first half and led the match after Saka's opening goal in the 20th minute of the second half, finishing it off with Martinelli's late goal. However, there is a strong voice suggesting that this should be understood as a tactic to secure the victory.

Vázquez did not blame any particular individual for the defeat. "Just as everyone rejoices together when we win, we should all take responsibility when we lose. That is football. Real Madrid fans know that we always leave everything on the field. Regardless of the outcome, we do not hide," he said.

Lastly, he conveyed, "Real Madrid always comes back. Today's failure is not the end. We will return stronger. Thank you to the fans."

Real Madrid's early exit in the UCL quarterfinals this season halted their challenge for a 15th title. Meanwhile, Arsenal advanced to the semifinals for the first time in 16 years since the 2008-2009 season and will clash with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a spot in the final.

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