Kylian Mbappe’s arrival at Real Madrid was driven by a singular purpose — to chase Champions League glory in the iconic white shirt. Now, the French superstar finds himself at the center of a monumental challenge: inspiring a historic comeback against Arsenal in the quarter-final second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After being dismantled 3-0 in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium on April 8, 2025, Madrid’s dreams of a 16th Champions League title hang by a thread. Arsenal’s commanding lead came courtesy of two stunning free-kicks from Declan Rice and a composed finish from Mikel Merino, leaving the Spanish giants in need of another legendary European night to survive.
But if there’s one thing Real Madrid has mastered over the decades, it’s the art of the comeback — and Mbappe’s explosive presence is exactly why Los Blancos pursued him for years.
“Of course we can,” Mbappe confidently said while boarding the team bus after the first-leg defeat, reflecting the club’s belief in their ability to overturn even the most daunting of deficits.
The 25-year-old forward has already made his mark in this season’s Champions League. In February, he netted a sensational hat-trick against Premier League champions Manchester City, leading Madrid to a 6-3 aggregate victory in the play-off round. That performance alone reaffirmed why he was seen as the missing piece in Madrid’s attacking puzzle.
Now, Mbappe is expected to deliver once more. Although he was sent off in a weekend La Liga clash against Alaves after just 38 minutes, his early exit means he will be well-rested for Wednesday’s showdown with Arsenal. With 33 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions this season, he has matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut season tally at the club — a remarkable feat in itself.
Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti remains optimistic. “We have to believe, we have to have confidence,” he said. “Because sometimes, quite often at the Bernabeu, it happens.”
Indeed, the Bernabeu has been the stage for some of football’s most dramatic turnarounds. In 2022, Real stunned Manchester City by scoring twice in the dying minutes of the semi-final second leg before winning 6-5 on aggregate. In the 2014 final, Sergio Ramos’s 93rd-minute equalizer against Atletico Madrid sparked a 4-1 extra-time win and sealed ‘La Decima’, their 10th title. And in 2016, a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick erased a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Wolfsburg.
Mbappe, eager to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps, relishes the opportunity to etch his name into club folklore.
“I’ve been dreaming of moments like this since I was a kid,” said Mbappe. “To play for this club and feel what it’s like on a big night at the Bernabeu… now I’ve experienced it, and I want many more.”
Madrid’s history is rich with such nights. As club legend Juanito famously said in the 1980s, “90 minutes at the Bernabeu is a long time” — a mantra that continues to echo through the stadium’s walls.
With Arsenal’s progress far from guaranteed, and Mbappe hungry for greatness, Wednesday’s clash promises fireworks. For Madrid, the Champions League comeback spirit lives on — and Kylian Mbappe is now leading the charge.
