Legacy at stake – Real Madrid equal their worst ever Champions League campaign | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign has taken a turn for the worse, with their recent 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, marking their fifth loss of the season in the competition.

This result equals the club’s worst-ever performance in a single Champions League campaign, previously recorded in the 2000-01 season.

Despite entering this season as strong contenders and defending champions, Real Madrid have struggled for consistency in Europe.

The heavy loss in the quarterfinal first leg against a dominant Arsenal side now places Carlo Ancelotti’s men dangerously close to crashing out of the tournament.

While Madrid have produced comebacks in the past, the current form raises serious doubts ahead of the return leg at Santiago Bernabeu.

A painful echo of the 2000-01 season

The last time Real Madrid lost five matches in one Champions League campaign was under Vicente del Bosque. That season, they were eliminated in the semi-finals by Bayern Munich after losing both legs.

In the earlier stages, defeats to Spartak Moscow and Anderlecht had already exposed weaknesses in the squad.

Though they managed to overturn a first-leg loss against Galatasaray in the quarterfinals, their journey ended in disappointment at the hands of Bayern.

Real Madrid have lost five UCL games this season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Now, 24 years later, history seems to be repeating itself. Ancelotti’s side have been uncharacteristically inconsistent throughout this European season.

Their group stage campaign included defeats to Lille in France and AC Milan at home. They also lost away to Liverpool at Anfield.

In the round of 16, they narrowly progressed against Atletico Madrid, only managing to advance on penalties after a 1-0 defeat at the Metropolitano.

Pressure mounting on Ancelotti

Until now, Ancelotti had maintained an impressive record in the Champions League with Real Madrid, consistently reaching the semi-final stage and never suffering this many defeats in one campaign.

This season, however, has been marked by defensive errors, missed chances, and a lack of control in crucial games.

The defeat to Arsenal has placed the team in a critical position where only a near-perfect performance at home can prevent an early exit.

With only one match left to salvage their campaign, the pressure is immense. The squad will need to dig deep and rediscover their best form if they are to avoid a historic early exit and a season marked by disappointment in Europe.