Morning all.
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid. A stadium which has a seating capacity of 78,297 making it the second largest football stadium in Spain. Tonight, the majority of the stadium will be filled with Real Madrid fans, all desperate to help their team overturn the 3-0 defeat suffered at the hands of The Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium a week ago.
Carlo Ancelotti goes into this game knowing that his job is on the line should his team fail tonight.
Mikel Arteta goes into this game knowing that he has a great opportunity to take The Arsenal into a Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2009.
The job for Arsenal is simple on paper, don’t concede three or more goals. The job will be made easier if Mikel Arteta’s players can score an early goal. Concede an early goal though and its game on. Should the latter happen, how Arsenal react will be crucial. Heads cannot go down and belief must remain intact.
We have the best referee in the game officiating tonight, at least he was voted as being the best last season. François Letexier is a young referee but very experienced. He’s officiated Real Madrid fixtures before but not Arsenal which is no surprise really as until last season, Arsenal hadn’t been involved in Champions League football for a while. Regardless of how good he’s reported to be, the last thing Arsenal need tonight is to give him a decision to make. Leave that to Real Madrid and the “tactics” they are likely to deploy.
Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber are one booking away from one-match bans.
The game state suggests that Madrid will have to take the initiative in this second leg, so I would expect them to boast substantially more possession than the 46.6% they enjoyed at Emirates Stadium. We are sure to come under spells of sustained pressure, but the upside is that there should be space for us to strike on the counter-attack.
Real struggled to contain our central midfield in the first leg, so with Camavinga suspended they might start with a completely new engine room pairing. If Ancelotti wants greater athleticism, he could pair Aurelien Tchouameni with Federico Valverde, who played at right-back in north London. Ceballos is another choice, but the Spaniard does not have the running power to match those two teammates. Moving Valverde would weaken them in defence, as Ancelotti would likely use a winger in Lucas Vazquez in that position instead.
Mbappe is the man to watch. He was electric in the opening 45 minutes at our place and has scored seven goals in eight knockout stage ties against English clubs. How we handle his speed and movement is going to form a key part of our game plan.
We also need to be wary of Bellingham’s positioning, he likes to come in off the left wing to a No.10 berth, and from that area of the pitch he is brilliant at creating chances or bursting into the box to score. The England international must be closely followed whenever we don’t have possession.
As far as Real Madrid injuries and suspensions go, Andriy Lunin and Ferland Mendy are expected to miss this fixture through injury whilst Eduardo Camavinga is suspended having being sent off in the first tie. Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal remained absent for the foreseeable.
For Arsenal, Raheem Sterling is available again (cough) after serving his one match ban and on the injury front, Gabriel, Kai Havertz, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jorginho and Gabriel Jesus are definitely ruled out.
But, there is good news as Mikel Arteta confirmed during his pre-match press conference yesterday:
The positive one is Ben White, he managed to train with us today, so he will be in the squad. [Thomas Partey] is available, he had a niggle in the game, that’s why he had to come off, but he felt good after the last few days, so he’s fine. And Jorgi unfortunately, is not here after the incident over the weekend, he hasn’t recovered so our thoughts are with him.
We can look back on fixtures involving Real Madrid and Arsenal just as we can look back on how we’ve faired in this competition at this stage in years gone but the reality is, history is irrelevant because this group of Arsenal players have never faced Real Madrid away from home. However, they faced them last week, so they know exactly what to expect tonight as far as their football goes and that’s what matters more than a Thierry Henry goal back in 2006.
Tonight is about managing the game well, staying strong and compact in defence and when the chances come, as I’m sure they will, take them. Real Madrid are likely to come out of the blocks quickly, they have to really, so the Arsenal players need to be focused from the start.
Mikel Arteta talked about how this being an opportunity to create a new history and he’s right but it’s about the present. The here and now and being ready to succeed today.
Securing a place in the semi-final would be fantastic, of course it would be but winning league titles or European trophies is what really goes down in history. To have a chance of doing that, we have to beat the best and Real Madrid are up there with some of the best.
Arsenal have given themselves a chance, a great chance of progressing through to the semi-final but now it’s crunch time. Be strong, be disciplined and believe.
Catch up in the comments.
I am going 2 all.
Its going to be a “cracking” match with Arsenal playing/showing their best.
I have no idea what to expect really.
How will the players cope with noise, the occasion and going behind early if we do.
I hope so so much that we can get an early goal.
Nice post Rico, it’s interesting listening to the pundits and the people in the game, none of them are considering Arsenal as prospective winners of the cup with big ears.
And that’s ok!
Chris Sutton tips PSG, Jose Mourinho tips his old club Inter, Gary Neville tips anyone but Arsenal, most pundits are predicting a Barcelona vs PSG final, nobody really fancies Arsenal.
And that’s ok!
I’ve really enjoyed the Arsenal build up to this game, loads of chat coming out of Madrid, closing the roof, a comeback, the threat of Mabappe, Vinicius and Bellingham,
history being on Madrid’s side, two-tier refereeing, a VAR who never overturns the referee, tariffs, Ukraine, Space X, the bin men’s strike (why is there no bin women?), world peace, blah blah blah.
Meanwhile nobody from the Arsenal camp have said anything since the euphoria of the 1st leg. The club hasn’t given the bad actors out there anything they can get their claws into. Arteta and Raya said all the right things yesterday. Everyone seems focused on the job at hand.
And that’s ok!
Thanks Kev, yep, it’s all about Real Madrid, well let’s see eh.
The only stuff coming from our players is about winning..
That’s ok too… 😜
G’day Rico and all.
Possession will be the key this evening, if we can hold onto the ball when we get it and pass it around sensibly we can run the Madrista’s legs off as we did last week.
From what I’ve read, look out for an early foul designed to injure one of our important players. Evidently it’s a tactic high up the page in Ancelotti’s little black book.
Afternoon Cicero, yes, I’m expecting a few early tasty challenges too. Not sure this referee will put up with them though. An early booking for a Real player would nip that kind of tactic in the bud.
Apparently, the roof will be closed tonight so the noise will be even more deafening.
I remember Arsenal playing Southampton in the FACup final of 2003 in Cardiff and they closed the roof. Arsenal won 1-0, good omen?
Let’s hope so….
closing the roof when the forecast is for rain an hour before kick off unlike Porto where its pretty continual .
We will take off half an hour before kick off and land at Gatwick just after full time .So do we check before we get home or watch the highlights not knowing .
I am not sure know who booked these flights but She is in trouble.
The word going around the Real Madrid fans is “Remontada”.
For those wot ain’t got the Spanish lingo like wot I be avin, amigos, it means “Comeback”.
I think it was Shankly that once said if the other team havent got the ball , they cant score and for long periods we need to keep the ball and take the sting out of the game . I want to hear about the white hankies when we land but I will even take a narrow defeat.
Decisions decisions Potter, I’d look. lol
I saw that too, from Bellingham. All mind games, they know Arsenal will give themselves a game again.
We need to be calm but focused. Easier said than done,I’m sure Arteta will have plans,emotions can change everything though.
Our players have been great in Europe this season.
I’m backing them again.
Let’s see about a comeback if we go a goal up?
Afternoon house. 3 hours to go, getting close now, anyone else nervous? Daughter (ex Junior Gunner in the days when it was easy to get Family tickets) and son (now the season ticket holder in the family) both travelling round to watch. We’ve been instructed to get the Tapas in!
Afternoon Limey, Andrew, guys.
I’m getting nervous, very nervous..
Both my lads have gone to work late to avoid the stress, as for me I can feel the butterflies gradually taking off.
Crazy isn’t it, it’s only a game of football… 😝
This is going to affect the rest of the season either way. If we go through the high will hopefully take us through the next couple of league games,but realistically we will see more of resting key players.
I don’t even want to think about losing the tie (don’t care if we lose tonight)
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Rosiak, Henry-Francis, Trossard, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Sterling, Nwaneri.
Real Madrid: Courtois, Vazquez, Ascencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe.
Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, F. Garcia, Vallejo, Modric, Ceballos, Guler, Diaz, Endrick.
Our bench isn’t very strong. Heaven forbid Sterling is required..
Unless we’re 6-0 up and five mins to go 😂
Alana booked, that was the one.!
Penalty Arsenal
Saka to take it…..yes
No he didn’t😕
Bukayo, a really bab bad penalty… ☹️
Actually Rico, a great save.
Blooming Henry!
This referee is certainly officiating by the book.
Rice now misses the next match if we go through…
Should have put his laces through it Cicero…
Hang on, pitch side monitor in play…
No penalty…. No Rice booking…
Phew..
So far so good, halftime 0 – 0.
Raya has not had to make a save.
It’s fcuking agony
It is agony.
Need more from our captain second half.
Need more from a number of the team Rico
Saka Saka Saka.
Oh Saliba😕
You’re forgiven Bukayo 😂
Surely there’s no way back for Real now…
Bollox!
Martinelli. 🔔
Wow, wow. We deserved that.
What a great performance, great night and a great 2-1 victory over the European Champions.
Arteta, Arsenal 👏👏
Yes yes yes 5 – 1;on aggregate. 🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔
Night happy gooners 😂
Remontada? De ninguna manera!
Buenos noches amigos..😴
Morning Rico and all.
What a great result, now if we could do the same in the premier league all will be fine.
Morning Geoff, all.
Two different styles of opposition though Geoff..
New post up.
What a great night,mind you as a fan watching on TV,the tension was unbelievable at times. Looking back our players played without nerves,they were confident and believed in themselves,Fantastic.
Thinking about it all 3 UEFA competitions could be won by English teams,UEFA wouldn’t like that,they would probably change the rules to make it harder. It’s hard to see either Spurs or Man Utd winning the UEFA Cup though but you never know.
Real Madrid simply were not allowed to play, Remontada ? More like Remonada (I saw that on another blog )
They are a nasty team,you can see the Chelsea connections,if they are not diving,they are stamping on our players. The ref/VAR were pretty good really.
I loved the interview with Declan Rice talking about the Ipswich game,no compliancy there..