Vinicius Junior vows Bernabeu fightback after Real Madrid's Champions League loss

The Brazilian forward had a night to forget against the Gunners' rock-solid defence, and now the Spanish giants have a mountain to climb in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu if they're to stay in the competition.

Vinicius Junior didn't shy away after the defeat, taking to Instagram to send a defiant message. "No excuses. Poor game. We need to improve and fight at the Bernabeu," he wrote in his story. "Things have always happened on this pitch, and we can do it again. Until the end, ALWAYS!!!!!! HALA MADRID!"

His rallying cry came hot on the heels of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois' own plea to fans on social media, urging them to stick with the team.

With just a week until the second leg on Wednesday, 16 April, at 21h00, the buildup is heating up. Players and supporters have been stoking the fires on Instagram and X, where #HalaMadrid has been trending.

Real Madrid have been here before, trailing after a first leg, all eyes turn to the Bernabeu, a ground with a habit of conjuring Champions League magic.

Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain know the script all too well: late comebacks, games flipped on their head in minutes, and a crowd that wills the impossible into existence. That's what the players and fans are banking on now.

A grand 'busiana' welcome is planned for the team's arrival, and for Carlo Ancelotti's side, it's already a do-or-die affair. Can Vinicius Junior inspire another epic night? The football world will be glued to their screens.

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