Arda Güler breaks the locker room silence after Real Madrid exit
A costly mistake sparks hope, but a late collapse and red card leave Real Madrid out as one young star speaks up.
Arda Güler was one of the standout performers in Real Madrid’s defeat and subsequent elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich. It was the Turkish midfielder who capitalized on a major error from Manuel Neuer to make it 1-0, leveling the tie record-breakingly early on, and he later struck again with a direct free kick to bring the score to 2-1 and restore parity in the aggregate.
Güler’s message to Madrid fans
The 19-year-old led the charge on the field, but also took responsibility off it. After a heated finish that saw Eduardo Camavinga sent off, no Madrid player spoke to the media. Instead, it was Güler who broke the team’s silence on social media.
“This isn’t how it should’ve been. We’re very sorry. We will be back. Hala Madrid” he wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo with several teammates and another from the pregame huddle. The post drew support online, including from Thiago Pitarch.
Breakthrough comes at the last moment
Güler’s brace marked his first goals in the Champions League this season, coming in the final game of Madrid’s European campaign. He had already contributed assists against Kairat Almaty, Olympiacos, Monaco and Benfica.
The Turkish international will now face a delayed return to European action next season, having been sent off in the aftermath of the final whistle and set to serve at least a one-game suspension.
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