The Gunners have put themselves in a strong position to reach the semi-final but anything can happen in a second leg...
For anyone with an Arsenal association, last week’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid went by like a dream.
A pair of Beckham-esque free-kicks from Declan Rice and a finish borrowed from Robin van Persie’s repertoire by Mikel Merino ensured an unforgettable 3-0 victory in north London.
It was a magnificent result, probably the best at the Emirates since its opening in 2006, but the job is far from over.
If any team can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, it is Real Madrid, the grandmasters of European football.
The reigning champions habitually give themselves a mountain to climb before scaling it at the last opportunity.
The task for Mikel Arteta and his players is clear: succeed where countless others have faltered.
Madrid may have a reputation for being comeback kings, but other clubs have completed shock turnarounds in the competition.
Here are five famous fightbacks:
La Remontada
🗣️ “The night after the goal, I couldn’t sleep.”
🔵🔴 When the ‘remontada’ dream became the reality – substitute Sergi Roberto makes history…@FCBarcelona | #UCL https://t.co/x4kpjIrxjj pic.twitter.com/DilM9kQPk8
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 9, 2020
First leg: PSG 4-0 Barcelona
Second leg: Barcelona 6-1 PSG
Only one club has ever recovered from a four-goal first-leg deficit to win a Champions League knockout tie: Barcelona in 2016-17.
Unai Emery’s PSG team blew Barca away in Paris, winning 4-0 with Angel di Maria helping himself to a couple, and led 5-3 on aggregate as late as the 87th minute of the return leg.
Cue three Barcelona goals in seven minutes and one of the most extraordinary comebacks – and chokes – in football history.
Liverpool’s unlikely heroes
📅 A stunning second-leg fightback at Anfield, #OTD in 2019…
⏰0⃣7⃣ Origi
⏰5⃣4⃣ Wijnaldum
⏰5⃣6⃣ Wijnaldum
⏰7⃣9⃣ Origi😮 Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool (agg: 3-0)
😱 Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (agg: 4-3)#FlashbackFriday | @LFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/FB6yvHNK1W— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 7, 2021
First leg: Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool
Second leg: Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
With Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both out injured, Liverpool’s prospects of overcoming a 3-0 first leg defeat seemed slim.
However, a pair of Divock Origi goals, either side of a blistering Georginio Wijnaldum double, sent Jurgen Klopp’s side through to the final in Madrid in 2018-19.
Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s quick thinking for Origi’s match winner was the defining moment of an extraordinary tie.
The Moura the merrier
One of the great #UCL hat-tricks 🎩
Lucas Moura 🆚 Ajax pic.twitter.com/VILIK9SJB3
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) July 24, 2024
First leg: Tottenham 0-1 Ajax
Second leg: Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
A Harry Kane-less Spurs trailed 3-0 on aggregate in their semi-final against Ajax in 2019 with just 35 minutes plus added time left to mount a fightback.
At which point Lucas Moura decided to do something about it. The Brazilian scored two quickfire goals before the hour mark and then completed a remarkable hat-trick with virtually the last kick of the game.
Although it ended 3-3 after 180 minutes, Spurs progressed courtesy of the since-abolished away goals rule.
Deportivo stun Milan
🗓️ #OnThisDay in 2004 😱
Madness as @RCDeportivo beat Milan 4-0 to complete a 5-4 aggregate win!#UCL pic.twitter.com/mYUClRcs1K— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 7, 2019
First leg: AC Milan 4-1 Deportivo La Coruna
Second leg: Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 AC Milan
One from the vault. AC Milan had lifted the trophy the previous season and had an all-star cast of legends on and off the pitch.
A team containing Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko (among others) and coached by Carlo Ancelotti, contrived to lose 4-0 to Deportivo after establishing a 4-1 head start in 2004.
Worse was to come for both sides. Milan suffered an even more famous humiliation against Liverpool in the final the following season, while Deportivo quietly slipped out of the limelight. They have spent the past seven seasons outside Spain’s top flight.
Rodrygo saves Madrid
First leg: Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid
Second leg: Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (after extra-time)
Arsenal fans, avert your eyes. Real Madrid may have only recovered from two goals down to beat Manchester City in 2021-22, but the nature of their fightback made it significant.
City led 5-3 on aggregate 89 minutes into the second leg. By the 92nd minute, that advantage was wiped out by two Rodrygo goals.
Madrid inevitably completed the job in extra-time through a Karim Benzema penalty.
