We became the first team, either domestically or in European competition, to beat Madrid at the Bernabeu on each of our first two visits.
We also became the first English side to win there twice.
It was also just the fourth time in Real’s history that they had lost a European Cup or Champions League game by an aggregate margin of four or more.
We are the Arsenal!
Other records too:
Arsenal is the only club that Real Madrid has never beaten who they’ve faced more than twice. There are a bunch of clubs that Madrid has faced only once who they didn’t beat in that one meeting. And, in 1973 Ipswich Town faced them twice in the UEFA cup, winning one match and drawing the other, so they’re the only other club who has faced Madrid more than once where Madrid didn’t record a single win. But, Arsenal is unique at more than 2 meetings without Real Madrid ever winning.
Additionally, Arsenal is the only club with a 75% or better win record against Real Madrid who has faced them more than once.
There are a handful of clubs that have 100% win records against Real Madrid that have faced them only once. The year 2000 was especially bad for Real Madrid. In January they played the 3rd place play-off of the Club World Cup, losing to Club Necaxa, a Mexican Club. In November, they played Boca Juniors in the Intercontinental Cup final and lost. Then, in December CD Toledo, a club in Spain’s 5th tier knocked them out of the Copa del Rey. All these were the first and last times these clubs ever played Real Madrid, so they have 100% win records against them. (I wouldn’t be surprised if CD Toledo still celebrates that win today.)
In other years Aberdeen beat them in the Cup Winner’s Cup in 1983. Lille beat them in this season’s CL group stage and since this is the first year where you don’t play teams twice in the group stage, they can also boast a 100% win record against Real Madrid.
Benfica has faced them 3x and won twice. They beat them in the 61/62 European Cup final, then faced them again 3 years later in the European cup quarter finals, winning one and losing one. That gives them a 67% win rate against Real Madrid. And, they actually ran up the scoreline against them. They beat them 5:3 in the 61/62 final, 5:1 in the first leg of the 64/65 quarter finals, then lost 2:1 in the second leg. So, in only 3 games they’ve scored 11 goals against Madrid, vs 6 scored against them.
But, aside from Benfica and Arsenal, no other club has won more than half their matches against Real Madrid. Ipswich has a 50% win rate (one draw and one loss). Uruguay’s Peñarol beat them twice in the Intercontinental cup in 1966, but when they played them in 1960 they drew one and lost one, so they’ve only won 50% of their matches against Real Madrid.
Everyone else has won less than 50%. AC Milan has faced them 16 times, going back to the 1950s, and has won 7, giving them a 44% record against Real Madrid. Chelsea is slightly worse with 4 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, giving them a 36% win rate. Olympique Lyon has played Real Madrid 10x recording 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses, giving them a respectable 30% win rate.
Then, there’s El Classico. Barcelona has played them 259 times, winning 102 times and losing 106 with 51 draws. That gives Barcelona a 39% win record against Real Madrid, and Real Madrid a 40% win record against Barcelona. I had no idea it was that close over such a long time.
FWIW, Arsenal has played Tottenham 197 times, with 84 wins, a 42.6% win ratio. There are only 3 clubs Arsenal has beaten more than Tottenham: Aston Villa (85), Man City (96) and Everton (110).
Anyhow, I better stop before I get sucked into the stats and never leave.