Everyone at Madrid believes they can still turn things around against Arsenal in the Champions League, according to Jude Bellingham. The English midfielder said there’s a strong sense of belief inside the Real Madrid dressing room despite a heavy 3-0 loss in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of Wednesday night’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bellingham noted that the mood in the squad remains surprisingly positive. He admitted that the first leg at the Emirates was one of the worst results they could have imagined, but insisted that confidence in the club’s tradition and quality remains strong.
“It’s a weird environment, the last few days, it was one of the worst (first leg) results we could possibly imagine, and for some reason everyone thinks it’s nailed-on we’ll come back, and it’s a nice feeling I have to say,” he said.
Madrid, who have lifted the Champions League trophy a record 15 times, have never before managed to recover from a first-leg defeat of this size in the competition. But Bellingham noted that the word “remontada,” meaning comeback, has been constantly mentioned by fans and media alike in recent days.
“Remontada… I’ve heard it about a million times this week, I’ve seen a million videos online,” he continued. “(It’s) really motivating stuff, it’s a night that’s made for Real Madrid, a night that people are familiar with in this part of the world, hopefully we can add another special night.”
Bellingham added that the support from fans at the Bernabeu will be vital if they are to produce another famous European comeback. He believes the energy in the stadium can lift the team and push them to deliver something special.
“They are huge in creating an atmosphere and an energy inside the stadium that’s infectious and the players really thrive off that… it brings a better level from us,” he said.
He also noted that playing for Real Madrid comes with the expectation to fight until the end, no matter the situation. “There’s an expectation from Real Madrid that when we get into these kind of holes we can come back, even if it’s a really tough one, a really difficult one.”
Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League five times as a manager, also shared his thoughts. Calm and collected before the match, the Italian said he thrives on nights like these.
“I’m focussed, with a very cool head, it’s not my first night like this and I hope it will not be the last,” said Ancelotti.
He urged his players to show courage and composure against the Premier League leaders, and pointed to star forward Kylian Mbappe as someone who must rise to the occasion.
“He’s hurt, disappointed about what happened, yesterday he trained very well, very motivated,” Ancelotti said. “We need him… he has to score goals, more than ever, we need his goals tomorrow.”
