Real Madrid can't give up until the referee blows the final whistle, their comebacks are epic and famous in the world of football

¡Hasta el final! ¡Vamos Real!

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The team from the Spanish capital is considered by the vast majority of football fans as the best football team in the world and for many as the best sports club as well.

Not only for being the football club with the most titles, with the most national and international trophies, for their ethical and sporting principles and respect for their opponents, but also for their spirit of sacrifice that makes them fight to the end, even when the results are very unfavourable.

In situations in which other sportsmen would give up and think about the next match to get even for a bad performance or a bad result, the white players keep fighting until they find the slightest loophole in the opposing team and hold on to it to keep fighting and turn the situation around.

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This year there have been two clear examples of this. Firstly in the tie against Paris Saint-Germain where the Parisian team dominated the tie in terms of play and result.

In Paris, Mbappé, Messi, Di Maria, Marquinhos and company dominated the game from the start. Ancelotti's players were outplayed throughout, but they held on to the magnificent performance of their goalkeeper Courtois to keep working and leave that clear and manifest superiority in a 1-0 result for the second leg. A 1-0 scoreline that was far from a reflection of the difference between the two teams.

The second leg at the Bernabéu was surrounded by the euphoric atmosphere that is always present in Champions League matches. The fans turned out as they always do. First with a great welcome to the team bus, the so-called "pre-match", and then inside the stadium cheering at the start of the match.

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 A big banner read: "We are the kings of Europe"

The French team withstood a first quarter of an hour of white thrust with more heart than play and chances. And, from then on, they gradually took control of the match.

Mbappé had a couple of clear chances, but as in Paris, the Belgian goalkeeper saved them. Messi also had another chance.

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The white team were again outplayed and the result of this was in the 39th minute when Mbappé scored a great goal on a counter attack. Madrid had been saved on a couple of occasions from goals disallowed for offside.

The fans went into half-time with the fans very pessimistic. The tie was 2-0 down and PSG had the superiority in the game.

But the white fans commented that they had to score a goal at the start of the second half to get into the match and keep fighting.

Nadia left the stadium despite the fact that the same dynamic continued at the start of the second half. The players ran and got involved, but Pochettino's players were better. The only thing left to do was to keep fighting.

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The ultimate expression of this fight that seemed to be ineffective was the Frenchman Karim Benzema, who kept pressing the opposition's ball out wide.

As a result of that effort and a serious mistake by PSG goalkeeper Donnarumma, in the 60th minute, he scored a goal that reduced the lead, but also lit the fuse of a white stampede halfway between the fans and the players.

The game changed dramatically. The Whites looked like aeroplanes and the stunned French looked stiff and at a loss as to what was going on. Modric ended up passing a great pass to Benzema and the second goal arrived to level the tie. 

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The faces of the French players were in disbelief and even more so when, once again, as a result of the pressure and the white work and with no time to react, they conceded the third goal.

The goalkeeper's mistake had given a glimmer of hope that the white players and their fans welcomed like a nail in the coffin. It reactivated them at the same time as it froze the opponents.

nce again "until the end", Madrid had won the tie. The match was over and the fans did not move from their seats, applauding the achievement for many minutes.

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The quarter finals against Chelsea arrived. The scenario is completely different. Real Madrid beat the English team at Stamford Bridge and brought a 1-3 result to the Bernabéu.

Great atmosphere at the Bernabéu, but not like in the previous tie with a taste of a comeback. The players themselves came out relaxed, knowing that they had earned the points. At half-time they were 1-0 down, but Ancelotti's men kept their cool.

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Sixty minutes in and Chelsea scored the equaliser, 0-2. The rumours and fears began in the Madrid temple. Especially when ex-Madrid player Marcos Alonso, who I wish they had him in the Madrid ranks today, scored the third, although it was disallowed for offside.

The Madrid team was not getting any better and Chelsea's third came in the 75th minute and Madrid were virtually eliminated after the 1-3 in London.

Once again with their backs to the wall, but with the veterans pressing and working until the end. Modric came up with a superb pass that Rodrygo converted for the equaliser.

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But Chelsea continued to dominate and had chances. Madrid, with a defence of circumstances due to injuries, made it to extra time.
They take a breath of fresh air and keep working. Benzema scored the 2-3 from a pass from Vinicius. The crowd, like crazy, kept cheering and suffering a lot because Chelsea's chances kept coming.

Until the end, they didn't give up and didn't stop fighting. Until a sign appears that makes them react. The result of a mistake by the opposition or the quality of a player who unbalanced a play, but always until the end. Never give up before the final whistle.

This has been Real Madrid's DNA since time immemorial.

I remember, even though I was a child, Santillana's goals against Derby County to come back from 4-1 down. (1976). When I was older on the pitch I remember Ulli Stilike's great goal in 1980 against Celtic, followed by another one by Juanito to come back from 2-0 down.

In the 1980s, comebacks at the Bernabéu were commonplace.

The Emilio Butragueño gale against Anderlecht 6-1 in 1985 together with Valdano, Sanchis, Santillana...

4-0 to Borussia in 86 with Valdano and Santillana as protagonists. 

5-1 against Inter Milan with Hugo Sánchez, Michel, Gordillo, Butragueño and, of course, with two goals from Santillana.
A common denominator that seems to have been recovered in recent times: "Don't stop fighting until the end".

Epic matches. The rivals know it, but it still happens.

"At the Bernabéu you can't be confident until the final whistle".

"Hasta el final, vamos Real".
 

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