On Wednesday evening, the Bernabéu witnessed something extraordinary. Real Madrid defeated Manchester City 3–0 in the first leg of the 2025/26 Champions League round of 16, with Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde scoring all three goals in the first half.

The performance was all the more remarkable given that, prior to this match, Valverde had scored just three goals in 75 Champions League appearances throughout his career. He then added three more in the space of less than 25 minutes.

Three goals, three stories

Each of the three goals was special in its own way. The first came after a long clearance by Thibaut Courtois—Valverde outpaced the defenders, rounded goalkeeper Donnarumma, and finished coolly. He scored the second with his left—his weaker—foot after a pass from Vinícius Jr. And the third was perhaps the most beautiful: after a give-and-go with Díaz, he lobbed the ball over Ruben Dias and finished the play with a volley.

It was only the fifth first-half hat trick in the history of the Champions League knockout stage—and the first against an English opponent since Lionel Messi achieved the feat against Arsenal sixteen years ago.

Historical connection to “El Rifle” Pandiani

But the most significant historical milestone dates back to 2001. The last time a Uruguayan scored a hat trick in the Champions League was before Valverde 7. March 2001, when Deportivo La Coruña pulled off an incredible comeback against Paris Saint-Germain — turned the score around from 0–3 to 4–3 thanks to a hat trick by Walter Pandiani.

Pandiani came on as a substitute and scored all three of his headers within the final thirty minutes of the match. PSG thus lost their chance to advance to the quarterfinals. Champions League The Uruguayan striker earned the nickname “El Rifle” for that performance and made his mark in the history of Spanish soccer. Valverde thus followed in Pandiani’s footsteps more than a quarter-century later. Two different eras, two Uruguayan soccer players, one exclusive statistic.

The next one continues on Etihad

Real Madrid heads into the second leg at Etihad Stadium with a comfortable three-goal lead. Vinícius Jr. missed a penalty in the second half that could have extended the lead even further—but Madrid still has a clear path to the quarterfinals, where Bayern Munich likely awaits. Valverde—who for months had been used as a makeshift right back, a player who had publicly expressed dissatisfaction with that role—finally had the night he deserved. And he made history exactly as befits the “Juanita of the 21st century.”

Článok Valverde made history: Only the second Uruguayan to score a hat trick in the Champions League je zobrazený ako prvý na Factgol.

Arsenal: With youthful bravado to Europe’s top ?

The “Gunners” as they are nicknamed are enjoying a Champions League trophy run under Mikel Arteta. Their young and dynamic team plays attractive offensive football and is one of the best teams in the domestic league. Players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Wiliam Saliba are full of energy and talent, capable of breaking down any defence.

Arsenal made it to the quarter-finals after an easy double-header with Dutch side PSV (9-3). The home environment of Emirates Stadium will be their potent weapon and the fans will drive their team forward.

Real Madrid: Royal experience and the desire for another trophy

Real Madrid is at home in the Champions League. With a record number of triumphs in this competition, it has a huge amount of experience and a winner’s mentality. This season, too, ‘Los Blancos’ are showing their quality under Carlo Ancelotti. A star-studded squad led by Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior or the experienced veteran Luka Modric is a guarantee of danger for any opponent. Real Madrid will arrive in London with a clear objective- to gain an advantage ahead of the rematch at the Santiago Bernabéu.

What can we expect ?

Arsenal’s clash with Real Madrid will be a battle of youthful grit and experience. Arsenal will want to exploit their offensive power and standard situations, while Real Madrid will rely on their tactics and the individual quality of their players. A tactical battle is expected with plenty of personal duels and unexpected moments.

The first quarter-final match at the Emirates Stadium is tomorrow. Who will take the first step to reach the semi-finals ?

Článok Arsenal welcome Real Madrid in first Champions League quarter-final match je zobrazený ako prvý na Factgol.

Rüdiger’s presence is extremely important for Real Madrid’s defence and his experience will be invaluable against Arsenal’s offensive stars. The news that Rüdiger can play has certainly made not only the fans happy, but also the entire Real Madrid team. Everyone can now concentrate fully on their preparations. The match between Real Madrid and Arsenal promises to be a great football spectacle and the fans can’t wait to see their favourite players in action.

Článok UEFA decides on Rüdiger’s fate ahead of Arsenal game je zobrazený ako prvý na Factgol.

Sparta Prague will travel to Stuttgart, Germany as a slight favourite. However, the home side will be looking to avenge their loss to Real Madrid on home soil and earn their first points in the Champions League.

The last match between the two teams resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Iron Sparta, when Slovak national player Lukáš Haraslín scored.

Slovan Bratislava will experience an unforgettable evening in the Champions League. Here comes a world-class opponent – Manchester City ! Pep Guardiola’s charges come to the Slovak capital as the favourite to win the Champions League. The advantage of Bratislava Slovan may be the home atmosphere, which is usually more than great. How do you predict today’s results ?

Článok Sparta to Stuttgart as a slight favourite, Slovan at home to Man City je zobrazený ako prvý na Factgol.