Mundo Deportivo: Saka told the Bernabéu to be quiet | OneFootball

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

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.