Kylian Mbappe breaks silence after Arsenal trashing of Real Madrid (2025)

Kylian Mbappe has issued a rallying cry for his Real Madrid teammates, who all now stand on the edge of Champions League elimination after their crushing first-leg defeat to Arsenal.

Second-half strikes from Declan Rice - his a pair of stunning free-kicks - and Mikel Merino handed the Gunners a 3-0 advantage over the reigning European champions at the halfway stage of their Champions League quarter final tie.

North London has been hit with a wave of jubilation as a result but understandably over in the Spanish capital there will be a rather sombre atmosphere to overcome.

There are not many instances recorded where Real are dominated in possession, have eight fewer shots on target or most importantly get thrashed by a three-goal margin.

As record 15-time winners this is meant to be 'their competition', so to speak, so this Arsenal victory is inevitably going to sting.

But seeking to be the figurehead of this Los Blancos side is last summer's star arrival, Mbappe. Taking to Instagram hours after the Emirates Stadium clash he posted the short but clear message: "You have to believe until the end."

Having only been recruited as a free agent signing last year, the Champions League is an honour the 26-year-old has never shared in with this club.

In fact, it is an honour he has never experienced in his 10-year career. Many saw his decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain, who have never won the competition, as down to his desire to lift the trophy.

And all-but confirming that in a talk with TNT Sports prior to Tuesday's match, Mbappe admitted: "I have always said that playing for Real Madrid was the most important thing in my career.

"Winning a Champions League with the best club in the world, there is nothing more important. And with the Champions League, there are things that you also win."

He said this was his preference even to winning the Ballon d'Or award as an individual.

Only three times in the past has a home side overturned a three-goal deficit in a Champions League knockout tie. They were Liverpool against Barcelona in 2019, AS Roma against the same opposition the year prior and Deportivo la Coruna against AC Milan in 2004.

It has never happened at the Santiago Bernabeu, for all of their European pedigree. Arsenal must now go there on Wednesday, April 16 and face up to the challenge of staving off an unlikely - but not impossible - fight back.

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