Arsenal humiliated Dani Ceballos at the Bernabeu following Real Madrid warning to Mikel Arteta

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Real Madrid’s attempt to get under Arsenal’s skin failed to work ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Despite the fact that Arsenal beat Los Blancos 3-0 in the first leg at the Emirates, it appeared to be Real Madrid who headed into the return fixture with the most confidence. 

Jude Bellingham revealed Madrid’s gossiping about a ‘remondata’, the narrative of another historic comeback, but such never prevailed. 

Arsenal won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to progress to the Champions League final four with a 5-1 aggregate win, leaving Carlo Ancelotti’s squad red-faced. 

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Arsenal denied Dani Ceballos and Real Madrid their hopes of a fast start

Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal squad blocked out the noise regarding a comeback and exceeded expectations in the second leg by winning the match.

One player who sent Arsenal a warning was Dani Ceballos, who urged Real Madrid to start the game quickly. 

“The first 15-20 minutes will be very important on Wednesday. We need to believe, our fans too, we need to believe together and let’s see,” the former Arsenal midfielder said.

After spending two seasons on loan in North London, Ceballos was eager to crush the Gunners’ Champions League dreams, calling on his teammates to start the game rapidly. 

To the Spaniard’s dismay, a fast start was far from what Arsenal permitted Real Madrid to do, as the numbers tell us.

In the opening 45 minutes, the hosts recorded no shots on target and were reduced to 0.11 expected goals (xG) by Arteta’s back four.

Whether it was a lack of conviction on the night from the Galacticos or simply Arsenal’s control of the game, the Gunners ensured the Bernabeu wasn’t treated to a fairytale occasion.

Arsenal’s organisation earns praise 

Real Madrid fantasised about a comeback, but their wildest dreams were crushed by the North Londoners. 

Instead of celebrating an upset of the ages, Los Blancos were unable to do anything but praise Arsenal’s performance over the two legs, singling out Arteta’s organisation.

“Arsenal are a team that defend well and are well organised,” Thibaut Courtois told the media after the game, via Real Madrid’s official website. 

In his post-match press conference, Ancelotti admitted that his side ‘tried everything’ to win, but simply couldn’t get the better of Arsenal.

“Arsenal were better than us in both games. We tried everything in the tie,” he said, before commenting on the Gunners’ defensive superiority.

“Arsenal defended well and we found it difficult to find space,” he concluded.

A similar level of defensive organisation is needed on the road to the Champions League final, with Paris Saint-Germain showing how easily they can break down English sides.