Arsenal are set for a crucial showdown at the legendary Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, following their emphatic 3-0 triumph over Real Madrid at the Emirates last week.
With one foot already in the next round, the Gunners will be determined to complete the mission in Spain.
Below is an updated breakdown of the match build-up, including predictions, injury updates, betting angles, and projected starting line-ups.
Declan Rice stole the show in London last Tuesday. The Gunners’ midfield dynamo delivered a masterclass in the second half, bending in two sensational freekicks that fired Mikel Arteta’s men into a commanding position.
Mikel Merino added further gloss to the performance with a composed strike, leaving Arsenal with a healthy three-goal advantage going into the second leg.
Back on domestic duty, Arsenal rang the changes for their Premier League clash with Brentford, settling for a 1-1 stalemate at the Emirates.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are laser-focused on overturning the deficit. They had a La Liga fixture to manage over the weekend, where Eduardo Camavinga’s 34th-minute goal edged them past Alaves.
But the victory came at a cost, as Kylian Mbappé saw red just four minutes later for a rash tackle. Despite going down to 10 men, Madrid held firm.
Head-to-Head: Real Madrid vs Arsenal
Arsenal boast a perfect defensive record against Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League encounters, having never conceded in their three meetings so far.
The defeat last week marks the fifth time Madrid have lost the first leg of a UCL knockout by three or more goals. They’ve only managed a comeback once in such situations, against Derby County in the 1975-76 campaign.
When it comes to English opposition, Los Blancos have played 53 UCL matches, but only twice have they managed to win by more than three goals, 5-1 versus Derby in 1975-76 and 4-0 against Spurs in 2010-11.
Team News
Aurélien Tchouaméni returns from suspension and is set to bolster Madrid’s midfield. Dani Ceballos and Ferland Mendy are also in line for returns, adding depth for the crucial tie.
However, Eder Militao, though back in training, isn’t fit enough to feature. Dani Carvajal remains sidelined, and Eduardo Camavinga will serve a suspension following his red card in the first leg.
Arsenal could welcome Riccardo Calafiori back to the fold, but doubts linger over Ben White and Thomas Partey.
The Gunners will still be without Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, and Gabriel Jesus due to injuries. Jorginho is also unlikely to feature after clutching his chest during the Brentford game.
Predicted Line-ups
Real Madrid (4-3-3)
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, F Garcia; Tchouameni, Ceballos; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé
Arsenal (4-3-3)
Raya (GK); Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey, Odegaard; Saka, Merino, Martinelli
