Real Madrid, Evidence of the Latest Champions League Anomaly

Remontada, a Spanish term meaning to turn things around. The term has become the most frequently used word in the world of football in the past week. Starting from Real Madrid's threatening message to Arsenal, remontada has ended up being just a joke. The meaning changed after the anticlimax at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

It is natural that Madrid is so confident that they can turn around a 0-3 deficit in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Thursday (17/4/2025) early morning WIB. They are the most successful team in the competition, often dubbed the Kings of Europe. The club's history is also supported by stories of remontada that blend the real and imaginary worlds.

However, reality says otherwise. There was no Remontada at the Bernabeu. They were defeated once again by Arsenal. Coach Carlo Ancelotti's wise words can explain the anticlimax a little. "We have been happy many times, but not today. In football, you have to suffer sometimes. It is impossible to be unbeaten," he said.

Interestingly, Madrid's downfall does not stand alone. Many other teams share a similar fate. They only reinforce the evidence of a new anomaly in the Champions League. The advantage of playing as the home team in the second leg of the knockout stage is no longer relevant. This old myth has faded this season.

A total of 12 match series have been played from the round of 16 to the quarter-finals. Half of those teams that had the home advantage in the second leg either ended in a draw or fell behind. Not a single team was able to turn the situation around and advance in the decisive match in front of their own supporters.

All teams that ensured their advancement at home also managed to take the lead from the very first match. For example, in one of the quarter-final matches, Inter Milan, which won against Bayern Munich 2-1 in the first leg, then drew 2-2 at the San Siro Stadium in the decisive match.

Instead of turning the situation around, there was a team that actually lost its advantageous position at home. That team is Liverpool. They brought a 1-0 lead back to Anfield Stadium in the round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain. In that notoriously intimidating stadium, "The Reds" were eliminated after losing in a penalty shootout.

That reality is in stark contrast to the results of the round of 16 and quarter-finals from last season. A total of eight teams successfully advanced in decisive matches at home after drawing or trailing in the first leg. One of them is Madrid, which won on penalties against Manchester City in the quarter-finals at the Bernabeu.

Madrid used that home advantage again in the semifinals, against Bayern Munich. Having trailed 2-3 on aggregate with two minutes remaining at the Bernabeu, they turned the game around through two goals from Joselu. The comebacks ended sweetly as Ancelotti's team emerged as champions at the end of the tournament.

The myth of home advantage has long been a belief in the Champions League. As a result, teams with better rankings in the group stage will gain the advantage of playing at home in the second leg of the Round of 16. It is believed that the chances of recovering from a deficit are greater when playing in one's "home."

Several factors influence the destruction of myths. One of the most common is that the team granted the first opportunity to play at home has already achieved a significant victory. They go all out by scoring as many goals as possible to make it difficult to catch up, as seen with Arsenal (versus Madrid) and Barcelona (4-0, versus Dortmund).

Declan Rice, the Arsenal midfielder, stated that initially they were also in a state of confusion and doubt before visiting the Bernabeu. However, the 3-0 victory at home changed everything. "We gained great confidence and belief after that. We are convinced that we can go there and win," he said.

The strategic approach also plays a significant role. PSG, for instance, who defeated Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. Although they had already taken a 3-1 lead at home, they continued to attack during the away match. As a result, PSG initially led 2-0 at Villa's home ground, before conceding three goals. Without a bold strategy and additional goals, it would have been impossible for them to advance to the semi-finals.

On the other hand, many teams are beginning to realize how important it is to perform at their best in both home and away matches simultaneously. Inter is the team that has benefited the most when playing away in the first leg. They successfully secured consecutive away victories in the Round of 16 (against Feyenoord) and in the quarter-finals (against Bayern).

Head Coach of Inter, Simone Inzaghi, believes that the positive result against Bayern was achieved due to consistency in the two matches. The momentum of victory was gained in the first match by not playing it safe while away, and then continued at home. "We played two great matches, giving everything we had," he said.

As a result, the anomalies in this season provide an illustration of how crucial the first match in the semifinals will be. The Arsenal squad (versus PSG) and Barca (versus Inter) can perhaps smile a little, considering that both will host their opponents first in the battle for a ticket to the final. (AP/REUTERS)