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Bayern score late to win seven-goal thriller over Real Madrid
As the initial anger and devastation following their Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich begins to subside, Real Madrid’s players must face a harsh reality.
Their prospects for silverware this season were already limited, but Eduardo Camavinga’s late indiscretion in Munich, compounded by two subsequent Bayern goals, leaves Los Blancos needing a near miracle.
Unless they can overturn Barcelona’s nine-point lead in La Liga with only seven matches remaining, Real will conclude a season without a trophy for only the fifth time this century.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad came agonizingly close to the semi-finals, but history tends to judge Real Madrid managers harshly when major trophies elude them.
Having amassed more Champions League (15) and La Liga (36) titles than any other team, Real Madrid are unaccustomed to failure.
Los Blancos have endured trophy-less seasons in just four instances this century: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, and 2020-21.
In campaigns where they missed out on the league, Champions League, or a domestic cup – such as 2024-25 – they at least secured either the Uefa Super Cup or Fifa Club World Cup, or both.
This season has undeniably been marked by inconsistency.
Real began the campaign with Xabi Alonso at the helm. While a 2-1 victory over Barcelona granted them a five-point lead in the league after just ten games, a subsequent four-match winless streak ensued.
Alonso resigned after a loss to Barca in the Spanish Super Cup in January, and his replacement, former teammate Arbeloa, started his tenure with a Copa del Rey defeat to second-division Albacete.
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Considering these factors, Jude Bellingham understood the stakes in Munich, and Madrid faltered.
“Any Champions League loss feels like a disaster. Given our current situation, we understand that tomorrow is a final,” Bellingham stated.
“We aim to remain in contention for something, rather than allowing games to simply pass us by.”
“It feels as if everything is riding on this game. We must approach it as an all-or-nothing situation.”
For years, Real Madrid seemed destined for Champions League success.
Under Zinedine Zidane, and later Carlo Ancelotti, their individual brilliance and unwavering belief in their ability to prevail, regardless of the odds, allowed them to overcome often more cohesive opponents.
The appointment of Alonso was intended to usher in a new era, a Real Madrid with a defined style not solely reliant on individual skill or what sometimes felt like divine intervention. His tenure lasted seven months.
Arbeloa stepped in as an interim, then permanent, replacement, but his future now appears uncertain.
“Real Madrid are going to finish without a trophy again this season,” former Madrid winger Steve McManaman commented on TNT Sports.
“You feel for Arbeloa – his game plan was excellent, but a couple of moments cost Real Madrid.”
Arbeloa has delivered 13 wins in 21 games as Real Madrid boss
After the match, Arbeloa expressed his belief that Camavinga’s second yellow card for time-wasting was unjust and that his team deserved to advance, while also accepting responsibility.
“I am responsible for the defeats and will always bear the consequences,” he said.
“I am immensely proud of the players. This is Real Madrid. La Liga is very challenging. We must continue to fight until the last match day. We have a badge to defend.”
“We are deeply upset, angry, and disappointed. This felt like a defining game in our season.”
Arbeloa spoke frankly about the potential consequences he might face – both Manuel Pellegrini and Zidane departed their roles after leading Madrid through trophy-less campaigns.
“I will understand any decision the club makes. I am a Real Madrid man through and through. I care about this club, the players, and the supporters far more than I care about myself,” Arbeloa stated.
“My goal as coach was never to prove my coaching abilities, but to support the players, stand by them, and assist the club. I will continue to do so until my last day in charge.”
“I feel I have done everything within my power to help this team win. I give my all every day.”
“I will respect the club’s decision. However, I am not focused on that. It is a decision for the club. I am a man of the club, and my sole desire is for Madrid to win, regardless of who the coach is.”
When a visibly drained Alvaro Arbeloa entered the press room in Munich, questions about his future seemed inevitable. His expression mirrored the disappointment he displayed after his first match in charge, the defeat by Albacete.
The 43-year-old has held the position for only four months, succeeding Alonso in January. Yet, the pressure has been relentless, the results inconsistent, and the season now appears destined to end without major silverware – mirroring 2024-25, when only the Uefa Super Cup was secured.
This would mark the first time in 16 years that Real Madrid have endured two consecutive seasons without winning a major trophy. Under president Florentino Perez, managers’ contracts have often concluded when trophies become elusive.
Throughout it all, Arbeloa has consistently shouldered responsibility, deflecting blame from his players. By his own admission, he is “a man of the badge,” fully dedicated to fighting for the club at any cost.
However, consistently accepting responsibility for poor defeats may not be enough to convince Perez that he is the right person to lead Madrid into the next season.
The club has never publicly clarified the length of Arbeloa’s contract, though sources suggest it extends until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. For now, dismissing Arbeloa before the season concludes would serve little purpose, given the limited stakes remaining.
Real trail Barcelona by nine points in La Liga, with a Clasico at Camp Nou still to be played in May. Players have also spoken openly about how Arbeloa has improved morale in the dressing room. Vinicius Junior, speaking before the first leg against Bayern, mentioned his “wonderful connection” with Arbeloa and expressed his “hope to continue” working with him.
For now, Arbeloa maintains he is not concerned about his future.
“Since assuming this position, it has not been a cause for concern. I feel I have done everything within my power to help my players win every day.”
But if anyone understands the unforgiving nature of Real Madrid’s managerial turnover, it is Arbeloa.
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