Nigeria international Rasheedat Ajibade expressed her astonishment as Arsenal produced a commanding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Falcons captain, who plays her club football in Spain with Atlético Madrid, watched on as Mikel Arteta’s side tore apart the reigning European champions in a one-sided second half on Tuesday night.
Declan Rice struck twice from set-pieces, both stunning free-kicks, while Myles Lewis-Skelly’s quick-thinking assist set up a first-time finish from Mikel Merino, capping off a remarkable night for the Gunners, who are still chasing their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
Ajibade, clearly surprised by the result, took to her social media account to post a wide-eyed emoji and the word “Arsenal”, summing up the general disbelief that followed the North London club’s emphatic win over the most decorated team in European club history.
Arsenal
— Rasheedat Ajibade OLY (@Rasheedat08) April 8, 2025
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The shock may have been extra sweet for Ajibade and Atlético Madrid fans after Real Madrid controversially knocked out their city rivals in the previous round of the men’s competition.
That dramatic clash saw former Manchester City forward Julián Álvarez have a penalty disallowed during the shootout after slipping and making contact with the ball twice.
Though the ball found the net, VAR intervened to rule it out. Real Madrid went on to win 4-2 on penalties after Antonio Rüdiger scored the decisive spot-kick.
Given the controversial nature of Atlético’s exit, Ajibade may well view Arsenal’s resounding win as a dose of poetic justice.
Now, Arsenal head to the Santiago Bernabéu with a three-goal cushion, looking to finish the job and send the record 15-time European champions crashing out of the competition.
