Arsenal Stun Madrid, Barcelona Crush Dortmund: First Leg Quarterfinal Recap

Welcome back to Football Daily, where we discuss the biggest games in Europe’s elite competitions. And we witnessed a showdown in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal matches. With dreams of semifinal glory hanging in the balance, four of Europe’s biggest clubs- Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund- stepped onto the stage, along with Inter Milan, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Aston Villa. Although I was unable to watch live, I caught the highlights, and oh boy, the headlines all wrote themselves. Here’s a recap of the first leg games.

Under the bright lights of the Emirates, Arsenal delivered a generational performance, dismantling 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid with a stunning 3-0 win in the first leg of the quarterfinals. Mikel Arteta’s men combined tactical brilliance, ruthless finishing, and an electric home atmosphere to dominate every inch of the pitch. Let’s break it down, half by half.

First Half:  

From the first whistle, Arsenal displayed no fear against one of Europe's most decorated sides. Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup, characterized by a high press and rapid midfield rotations, unsettled Madrid’s build-up play. With Declan Rice anchoring the midfield and Myles Lewis-Skelly, a left back, deployed in a hybrid box-to-box role, the Gunners congested the central lanes and forced Madrid wide.

Madrid struggled to cope with Arsenal’s tempo. Englishman Jude Bellingham and former Ballon D’Or winner Luka Modrić were constantly swarmed, while young French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga appeared overwhelmed as Arsenal’s midfield hunted in packs like wolves.

Chances arose early for both teams. In the 12th minute, Gabriel Martinelli dribbled the ball past defenders and lashed a blocked cross that somehow found its way to Thomas Partey at the top of the box, and took a chance, but Madrid’s goalkeeper easily blocked it.

Real Madrid's first significant chance came around the 20th minute when Vinícius Jr. tried to test Raya from distance with a curled shot, but it went just slightly to the right. They had an even better opportunity just 10 minutes later when Bellingham found Mbappé making a run, resulting in a 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper, but Raya denied him. Arsenal created one more real chance in the first half when defender Timber crossed the ball to Rice for a header that was deflected off the goalie into the path of Martinelli, who shot it only to be saved by goalie Courtois, leaving the game tied 0-0 at the end of the first half. 

Second  Half:

 In the second half, Arteta’s halftime message was clear: Don’t let up. So, Arsenal returned even sharper, and Madrid looked stunned by the pace and precision coming at them. The first goal finally came in the 57th minute when Arsenal won a 30-yard free kick after a foul by Alaba on Arsenal star Saka. Rice stepped up and curled a laser into the top corner, leaving Courtois motionless. It was one of the greatest goals of the season. The Emirates erupted, with the momentum officially on Arsenal’s side. Then, just 11 minutes later, déjà vu hit Madrid as they conceded another free kick in a very similar area. Declan Rice, calm as ever, delivered a near-identical strike, even more beautiful than the first, past a diving Courtois. I never imagined seeing two stunning free kicks in this game, especially from an Arsenal player like Declan Rice, but I guess this is why he is one of the highest valued Englishmen in all of football. With the second free kick converting into a goal, Real Madrid imploded. Camavinga and others began to struggle to deal with Arsenal’s rotations down the flanks.

Secondly, Arsenal players started to combine to retain possession and launch quick counters frequently, which led to the final goal and sealed the fate for Real Madrid. In the 74th minute of the game, Rice, the star of the match, created sparks again with a long drive forward. After Trossard linked up with Lewis-Skelly down the flank, he found Mikel Merino, usually a midfielder but was deployed as a false striker due to squad injuries. Merino, calm as ever, slotted it low past Courtois, making a shocking scoreline a reality. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the antics, as Madrid’s frustration boiled over in stoppage time. Camavinga, already on a yellow, let out his frustration and received another yellow card, giving him an automatic red card, which capped a miserable night for Real Madrid. 

• Real Madrid vs Arsenal – Can Madrid pull off another Bernabéu miracle, or will Arsenal finish the job?

• Dortmund vs Barcelona – Barça leads 4-0, but Signal Iduna Park is no easy trip.

• Inter Milan vs Bayern – Inter holds a 2-1 edge, but Bayern is dangerous with their backs against the wall.

• Aston Villa vs PSG – Villa hopes to rally at home, but PSG’s firepower gives them the upper hand.

The second game I would end up watching was the Barcelona game against the German side Borussia Dortmund. 

Now, Barcelona took a giant step toward their first Champions League semifinal in six years with a commanding 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their quarterfinals. Under Hansi Flick, the Catalans delivered a performance blending tactical precision and attacking flair, led by Polish Robert Lewandowski’s brace and standout displays from wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

First Half:

Now, Barcelona asserted its dominance early, pressing high and controlling possession. Dortmund’s keeper, Gregor Kobel, was called into action within the first ten minutes, denying efforts from both superstars Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski. However, the first breakthrough came in the 24th minute as a well-executed set-piece saw defender Iñigo Martínez head Fermín López’s free-kick across goal, with Pau Cubarsí flicking it on for Raphinha, who would end up tapping it in at the far post. Barcelona didn’t let up. Minutes later, Yamal tormented defender Ryerson down the right, cutting inside twice and almost curling in a second for Barcelona. Dortmund looked stunned by the intensity and organization they faced. They would, however, try to respond, with their best chance coming just before halftime when striker Serhou Guirassy found himself in the box and took a shot, narrowly missing the target and leaving Dortmund trailing 0-1 at halftime.

Second Half:

Barcelona intensified their attack after halftime. As the third minute of the second half approached, a beautiful move saw Yamal deliver a precise cross to Raphinha, who headed it back across the goal to find Polish striker Lewandowski, who nodded the ball in from close range. Making the scoreline 2-0 in favor of Barcelona. However, Barcelona were not done, as in the 65th minute we would see a magnificent team goal, as Fermín López, who has continued to thrive under Flick, played a first-time pass through the defender lines. Finding Lewandowski, who took one touch to rifle a low shot past Kobel into the bottom right corner. No hesitation. Just Pure instinct. Making the game 3-0, and unfortunately, it would flip into damage control mode for Dortmund, but Barcelona smelled blood. At this time, the final blow would come in the 77th minute when Raphinha’s through ball found 17-year-old star Yamal, who calmly slotted it home to make it 4-0, capping a night of attacking brilliance. 

Games I couldn’t watch. 

Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan:

Milan narrowly defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in a closely fought first leg. Lautaro Martínez started the scoring for Inter, but Bayern quickly leveled with a goal from Thomas Müller. The game appeared to be heading for a draw until Davide Frattesi scored a late winner for Inter, securing an important away victory and an edge going into the return leg at the San Siro. 

PSG vs. Aston Villa

Paris Saint-Germain secured a 3-1 victory against Aston Villa in the first leg of their quarterfinal match. PSG’s fullbacks, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, played key roles, helping to score goals in the first half and establish a strong lead. Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans assisted in scoring their only goal, which was netted by Rogers. Still, PSG maintained their dominance by securing a third goal from Mendes, further solidifying their position as they approach the second leg in hopes of advancing.

So what’s next?

The second legs are set, and everything is on the line:

Tune in next week, where we recap the 2nd leg games!