Bukayo Saka in tunnel bust-up as Real Madrid star grabs his neck after Bernabeu defeat

It’s not like Madrid to have their players lose their cool after a defeat…

Bukayo Saka had his neck grabbed by Dani Carvajal in the tunnel as the Real Madrid man lost his cool following his team’s exit from the Champions League.

Arsenal dominated Madrid to send the reigning champions out of the tournament and while things were relatively mild-mannered throughout the two legs, Carvajal decided to grab Saka as the winger headed off the pitch.

The right back, who missed the match with a cruciate ligament tear, was seen speaking to Saka as the winger walked off but clearly said something not to Saka’s liking as the forward then wrestled his arm free.

Carvajal followed Saka towards the tunnel before grabbing him on the back of the neck. Saka then turned around, at which point Carvajal points his finger into the Arsenal player’s face before the two are separated by staff and police.

🔥🔥🔥 ¡OJO! ¡Dani Carvajal se fue a por Saka en el descanso!

El capitán, que no puede jugar por lesión, recriminó al delantero su intento de colar un penalti a lo Panenka 🔥🔥🔥 📹 @jdelriomuradas pic.twitter.com/zBscrXMg3e — MARCA (@marca) April 16, 2025

It is not the first time the two had been involved in this kind of incident with Carvajal making crying and diving gestures after fouling Saka during the Euro 2024 final.

Carvajal was not the only Madrid player to throw his toys out of the pram with captain Lucas Vazquez attacking Arsenal’s style of play.

“It’s a difficult moment. I think we tried today. It was a complicated match. We didn’t have all the chances we would have liked,” he told Movistar+. “We didn’t lose sight of the goal. There were interruptions [but] it didn’t happen.

“Maybe we lacked more clarity. More patience. They came to defend, to play their role. In the first half, they did almost nothing. In the second, with the team pressing, they found the victory.”

Arsenal registered three shots to Madrid’s zero in the first half.

One man who at least accepted the defeat with some grace was manager Carlo Ancelotti who said the London club deserved the victory.

“We have to be honest, in the two games Arsenal have deserved it and have reached the semi-finals,” the seven-time winner said. “There are two sides to football, the happy part that has happened to us many times and the sad part we have to handle in the same way.

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“It has happened to us fewer times than to other teams but we have to manage it because it allows us to be better in the next games.

“To change the dynamic we needed something positive, like the penalty he whistled and then took off. We needed something to have more confidence, but we were not able to change the dynamic of the first leg. The tie was decided in the first leg.”

Ancelotti also admitted he could be for the chop having failed to deliver Madrid’s number one target. The club are four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona but Ancelotti said he would have no problem if president Florentino Perez sacked him.

“It could be this year, next year when my contract runs out…There’s no problem about it,” the Italian, who returned to Madrid in June 2021 said. “But when I am done here, I will be grateful to this club. It could be tomorrow, in one year, or in 10 years, but I will be grateful to this club. And that’s it. Full stop.”

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