It was early morning in Madrid, and the bright studio lights of Fútbol Total bounced off the glossy desk where three panellists sat alongside the host.
On the massive screen behind them, an animated countdown played — a playful little sequence clearly aimed at stoking the rivalry.
A tiny cartoon character dressed in pristine all-white — the unmistakable nod to Real Madrid — tiptoed toward a giant wall calendar.
Bold black numbers marked the days until the second leg.
With exaggerated mischief, the cartoon Madrid player reached up and began to tug at the "4 days remaining" page.
From the other side, another cartoon figure appeared, this one in Arsenal's sleek black away kit, arms outstretched to stop him.
The two grappled comically for a moment — tugging, slipping, stumbling before the Madrid figure gave one last yank and tore the page clean off, revealing 3 DAYS REMAINING in big, dramatic font.
The studio cut back to the host, grinning knowingly at the camera.
