UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid Falls to Arsenal 5-1 on Aggregate

April 16: After yet another historic Real Madrid Champions League campaign last season, having won the UCL with a young attacking core, Real Madrid struggled to prove themselves as the face of European football in their first leg 3-0 loss to Arsenal in their quarterfinal matchup.  Arsenal's holding midfielder, Declan Rice, displayed a miraculous performance, slotting two beautiful free kicks behind Thibaut Courtois.  Despite claims of making a comeback from Madrid players and media, the squad lacked production in the second leg, falling 2-1.  The club looks to regain their European Champion status in the 2025-2026 season, hoping to gain more cohesion after adding superstar Kylian Mbappé to the front attack.