Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid in search of the glory of the Champions League, hoping to be on the right side of the magic night’s kinds which they need against Arsenal on Wednesday if they want to progress to the semi-finals. The Gunners lead 3-0 after having moved London holders last week in the quarter-final, leaving Madrid to want the kind of dramatic return for the 15 times that the winners are renowned. The return of a defeat of three goals would be further than anything that Los Blancos has succeeded so far, but that is precisely why they have tried to attract MBAPP to the club for years.
The explosive edge of the French superstar gives Madrid the hope of achieving what seems to be impossible.
“Of course, we can,” said Mbappe out of the Emirates last Tuesday, heading for the team’s bus after Arsenal’s superb victory.
Declan Rice struck two sublime free kicks and the third of Mikel Merino helped the Mikel Arteta team to set foot in the Final Four.
Arsenal will be fully aware that the work is not yet finished, after seeing the devastating impact of Mbappe against the Champions of the Premier League Manchester City earlier this season.
Mbappe marked a hat-trick against the Pep Guardiola team in February at Santiago Bernabeu in the round of the playoffs, helping Madrid to eliminate the city 6-3 on the total.
The striker was sent for a wild challenge against Alaves at La Liga on Sunday, putting his teammates under pressure, but can catch them with a special performance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Arsenal.
Madrid beat a 1-0 victory and Mbappe only played 38 minutes before his dismissal, so he should be fresh for Wednesday.
Mbappe scored 33 goals in 49 games all competitions this season, corresponding to the top scorer in Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, during his first season at the club.
‘Big Night’
Mbappe failed to lift the Champions League trophy with Paris Saint-Germain during its seven seasons at the club and in 2022, was on the live side of a spectacular return of Real Madrid.
PSG has led 1-0 since the last 16 games, with Mbappe sur Target, and he scored his second goal of the tie to give the French part to the Bernabeu.
He prompted Real Madrid in life and a remarkable triple of 17 -minute Karim Benzema hat transformed the tie and propelled Los Blancos into the quarter -finals, on the way to the lifting of the trophy.
Mbappe said that his triple against Man City was exactly the kind of night he wanted.
“I dream of moments like this since I was a child, to play for this club and feel what it is a big night at the Bernabeu,” said French.
“Many people have spoken to me, but now I saw it with my own eyes, and I hope we will have much more.”
In 2022, Madrid made an astonishing return to beat Man City, despite the laggles of 5-3, in the last minutes of the semi-final in the second stage, progressing 6-5 at the end.
Perhaps their most important return occurred in the 2014 final against the Rivals of Atletico, dragging 1-0 until Sergio Ramos returns home in the 93rd minute to force extensions, Los Blancos winning 4-1 to claim “ Decima ”, their 10th trophy of the Champions League.
They also overcome a deficit of 2-0 quarter-final against Wolfsburg in 2016, winning the second floor 3-0 with a hat-trick by Ronaldo.
Mbappe would love to imitate the feat of the Portuguese striker against Arsenal.
“At Santiago Bernabeu, returns are still on everyone’s lips,” said Ronaldo.
Madrid and returns have been synonymous since the 1980s, when the Juanito winger was involved in several, including the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1985.
“90 minutes at the Bernabeu, it’s long,” he warned Inter Milan after the hosts won the first leg 2-0 in Italy, with Madrid in triumph 3-0 on the way to glory.
Mbappe came to Madrid to add to their rich history and the Arsenal visit presents the ideal opportunity.
“We must believe, we must have confidence,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti last week. “Because sometimes, quite often at the Bernabeu, it happens.”
(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)
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