Elimination by Bayern would leave Real facing a trophy-less campaign. They already exited the Copa del Rey at the last 16 to second-tier Albacete, and in LaLiga their deficit to leaders Barcelona has stretched to nine points after the Catalans’ convincing derby win over Espanyol on Saturday.
Against Girona, Federico Valverde had put Real ahead early in the second half, only for Thomas Lemar to equalise shortly afterwards. Late on, a denied penalty for Madrid—after Kylian Mbappé had been fouled inside the box—sparked fury. “For me, that’s a clear penalty—here and even on the moon,” Arbeloa railed after the match.
Meanwhile, former Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos offered a note of hope before the second leg in Munich. “From Real’s point of view, you have to reach the 70th minute with a chance of progressing. If you’re still in it at 0–0, 1–1 or even 1–0, you’re back in the game mentally. Real will always be dangerous, and Bayern will know that,” Kroos said on his podcast,Einfach mal Luppen.