Real Madrid: What next for Spanish giants and boss Carlo Ancelotti?

In the build-up to Wednesday's night Champions League quarter-final tie at the Bernabeu against Arsenal, it felt like there was only one word on every Real Madrid fan's mind - remontada.

That is Spanish for comeback, and while Real Madrid sides of the past have produced stirring fightbacks from difficult positions to triumph, that never looked likely with this current team.

Real were 3-0 down from a disappointing first-leg display at Emirates Stadium but, bar a brief moment of belief when Vinicius Jr cancelled out Bukayo Saka's second-half opener within two minutes, the holders never threatened to overturn the deficit.

It was Arsenal instead who fashioned a success to become the only side to win their first two games against Real at the Bernabeu. Gabriel Martinelli struck in stoppage time to secure a stunning 2-1 victory and 5-1 success on aggregate.

The post-mortem has already begun and, as Real Madrid face up the prospect of not being in the Champions League semi-finals for just the third time in 12 seasons, Carlo Ancelotti knows the questions about him and his players won't be going away anytime soon.

"We have the dark side and we have the bright side," said the Italian, who took charge of Real for a second spell in 2021 and has won the Champions League three times with the club.

"We have managed the bright side many times, we have won titles, we have won games. We have been eliminated [from the Champions League but] we have three more competitions we need to stay focused for."

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague added: "Real Madrid stand at the crossroads. They have a squad in need of refreshing.

"The defeat to Arsenal hasn't caused a reset, it has simply confirmed the need for it. For Ancelotti the message will be clear - it's time to move on."

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