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Mundo Deportivo: Saka told the Bernabéu to be quiet
Spanish sports paper Mundo Deportivo didn’t hold back in its post-mortem of Real Madrid’s Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal.
With two reports focused on missed chances, tactical failures, and a clinical Arsenal side that never looked rattled, the verdict from the Spanish press was clear, and it wasn’t kind to the reigning champions.
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Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo was clear in its assessment of Real Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Arsenal.
Across two separate reports – “Shocking failure of Madrid’s attacking arsenal” by Óscar Zárate and “Arsenal tells the Bernabéu to be quiet” by Mario Calderón – the message was clear: Madrid’s stars didn’t show up, and Mikel Arteta’s side were better in every way.
[IMG alt="Front page of Mundo Deportivo newspaper dated Thursday, April 17, 2025. The bold headline reads “SAKABÓ,” a play on the words “Saka” and “se acabó” (it’s over), celebrating Arsenal’s 2–1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, which sealed a 5–1 aggregate win and knocked the reigning champions out of the UEFA Champions League.
The main image captures Bukayo Saka mid-stride after scoring past Thibaut Courtois, who is diving to his left. Arsenal players are celebrating while Real Madrid players look dejected.
To the right, a small blue and red badge shows the scoreline: “CHAMPIONS – REAL MADRID 1–2 ARSENAL.” Below the headline, two captions in Spanish state:
“El Arsenal, inmune a la presión, asalta el Bernabéu y barre al Madrid con un 5-1 total” (Arsenal, immune to the pressure, storms the Bernabéu and sweeps aside Madrid with a 5-1 aggregate).
“Los goles de Saka y Martinelli envían a los blancos a la calle y desactivan la ‘operación remontada’” (Goals from Saka and Martinelli send Madrid packing and shut down the comeback operation).
Above, a smaller banner headline reads: “BARÇA–INTER, UNA SEMIFINAL DE LUJO” (Barça–Inter, a luxury semifinal), referring to another Champions League matchup between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan after their 2–2 draw with Bayern.
In the top-right corner, a small inset highlights “LAPORTA SUPERSTAR,” referring to FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s public appearance.
Additional headlines at the bottom of the page reference tennis player Carlos Godó’s Hall of Fame entry, Alcaraz’s match against Laslo Djere, Athletic Bilbao vs Rangers in the Conference League, and Real Betis’s match against Jagiellonia."]https://media.zenfs.com/en/daily_cannon_articles_231/b6c25caf26699b1652fe7e33950f751f[/IMG]
Front page of Mundo Deportivo newspaper dated Thursday, April 17, 2025. The bold headline reads “SAKABÓ,” a play on the words “Saka” and “se acabó”…
In Zárate’s report, he focused on the numbers. Over 200 minutes of football, including stoppage time across both legs, Real Madrid managed just six shots on target. Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappé were all named, but none left a mark on the tie.
Arsenal had 17 efforts on target by comparison, even though Lucas Vasquez accused Arsenal of only coming to Madrid to defend.
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“Fracaso estrepitoso del arsenal ofensivo blanco” (“Disastrous failure of the white offensive arsenal”), by Óscar Zárate.
Mbappé, he noted, was brought to Madrid to win the Champions League but ends his first season with a serious ankle injury and a quarter-final exit. “For now,” he wrote, “he’ll have to keep dreaming of the trophy.”
He added that Arsenal “survived, without too much trouble, the chaos whipped up at the Bernabéu.”
[IMG alt="Arsenal silences the Bernabéu
→ A goal from Saka and another from Martinelli crushed Madrid’s comeback hopes
→ Madrid, with more desire than football, had chances but hit a wall
Mundo Deportivo | 17 Apr 2025 | Mario Calderón
Photo: JA Sirvent
Arsenal players celebrate reaching the Champions League semi-finals with their fans
This time, yes. The difficult, the complicated—it was impossible. Even at the Bernabéu, where Real Madrid, despite playing with 12, could not complete the comeback against Arsenal (1–2) and bow out of this Champions League in the quarter-finals. A goal from Saka and another from Martinelli, despite the equaliser from Vinícius, proved too much. Ancelotti's team tried, but Arteta's, at times underestimated, made it out of the white stadium alive and have complicated things for Madrid, who will not repeat as champions this year. The throne sits empty.
The clock struck 9:00 p.m. when the ball began to roll at the Bernabéu. However, as expected, the match in Madrid had started long before. Practically since the morning, with people already taking their spots on the Concha Espina ramp, where the team bus would later pass through one of the famous Champions League welcomes. Flares and scarves. Once the players were inside the stadium, it became a cauldron during the warm-up—no room left, even with half an hour to go. In that, at least, Madrid had already won: they still believed after conceding three in London (which could have been five). That belief intensified with Madrid's explosive start and the penalty saved by Courtois from Saka in the 12th minute. As if that wasn’t enough, Asensio ramped up the difficulty setting by committing a clear foul on Mikel Merino, which VAR had to call. At that moment the stadium turned into a funeral, but when the Belgian, the most extreme of goalkeepers, saved Saka’s soft shot, it resurrected—only to collapse again, Arsenal fans included.
And from a penalty against to a penalty for. This time, Rice on Mbappé. It was the 26th minute, and the stadium ignited again—only to be extinguished moments later by Letexier"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/daily_cannon_articles_231/600dabfa959717834a7fcb10826a4f16[/IMG]
Arsenal silences the Bernabéu → A goal from Saka and another from Martinelli crushed Madrid’s comeback hopes → Madrid, with more desire than footba…
Calderón’s article focused more on the emotion and atmosphere. He wrote that “this time, the difficult task was impossible.”
Despite the crowd’s best efforts; flashing lights, chants of “sí se puede” (“yes we can”), Madrid couldn’t back up their belief with their football.
Arsenal stood strong and struck twice through Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
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Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
He also notes how Courtois briefly raised their hopes when he saved Saka’s penalty early on, but Madrid fell behind when Saka scored later to quiet the stadium.
Calderón described the moment: “Saka chipped the ball and told the Bernabéu to be quiet.” He called it a hard blow, one Madrid only briefly recovered from with a goal by Vinícius after a rare mistake from William Saliba.
But, Calderón concluded, belief without execution wasn’t enough. Madrid “wanted it, tried for it, but this time the Bernabéu couldn’t do it. It was too much.”
In both pieces, Mundo Deportivo made it clear: Arsenal earned their win. Madrid, despite the history, noise and expectations, were outplayed by a team with a plan and the discipline, and ability, to stick to it.
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