Super Eagles defender and Nottingham Forest player, Ola Aina, has expressed astonishment at Arsenal’s commanding performance against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
Arsenal shocked the Spanish giants with a 2-1 win at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday night, completing a 5-1 aggregate triumph to secure a spot in the semifinals.
The Gunners, who had won the first leg 3-0 at the Emirates, showcased resilience and clinical finishing to wrap up the tie in Spain.
Bukayo Saka atoned for an earlier missed penalty by scoring the opener in the 65th minute with a composed finish after a slick move.
Though a defensive lapse from William Saliba gifted Vinicius Jr. a goal shortly after, Arsenal sealed the win in stoppage time through Gabriel Martinelli’s breakaway goal.
Reacting to the outcome, Ola Aina took to social media to post a video of himself visibly surprised, captioning it with, “These lot have dealt with dem lot differently.”
The Nigerian international has previously named Arsenal as one of the most difficult teams to face, and Wednesday night’s performance seemed to reaffirm that belief.
Arsenal’s dominant display over two legs drew praise from even Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who admitted, “They were better than us.” The Spanish side, known for their Champions League pedigree, struggled to match the pace and intensity of Mikel Arteta’s men.
The North London side will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals as they continue their quest for a first-ever UEFA Champions League title.