So, the moment of truth is upon us. This may sound all very dramatic – maybe even melodramatic – and I expect that a lot of Arsenal supporters are not going to share this emotion: but I feel that it is absolutely necessary for this incarnation of Arsenal that they don’t give up the advantage they have so impressively gained, by virtue of nothing but the merits of their own performance in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. A CL away match against the most decorated club in Europe at their home ground is always a challenging proposition, and there is no doubt a manager as astute and successful as Ancelotti will get his star-studded team to dig deep and perform to the very best of their abilities, individually and collectively, in front of a charged home crowd that must have been licking the damaging wounds to their ego for the last week while dreaming of a record-breaking revenge.
For a club of Arsenal’s pedigree, history of pioneering contributions to football, and impressive record of domestic success, our European campaigns have been laced with poisonous failures, leaving behind a bitter sense of underachievement. We have never won the premium European championship in any of its versions, and even among the second-tier of continental competitions, we have won only two trophies, the last of which coming thirty one years ago in the ‘94 Cup Winners Cup, when George Graham’s famously impregnable back five – Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn – demonstrated a defensive masterclass against the high-flying Parma to hold on to a slim 1-0 advantage engineered by Alan Smith playing as a solitary striker in the absence of a suspended Ian Wright. Since then there have been multiple heartbreaks, including losses in finals, and even the greatest Arsenal team of modern times – the peak of Arsène’s marauding Invincibles – inexplicably underachieved in Europe.
However, it is not in the laws of physics that we are all condemned to repeat our past forever. If anything, Mikel Arteta and his players, while being respectful to the greatness of the past, seem ambitiously intent on creating their own history, defining their own legacy. Despite the steadily upward curve of Arsenal’s on-field progress in recent years, it just feels that this team needs a signature success to really convince them of their own ceiling, which I believe is as high as any other club in Europe at this point of time.
Without looking too far ahead, beating Real Madrid over a two-legged tie in a CL quarter-final will definitely provide such a defining moment in the journey of Mikel’s team. Yes, there are no trophies given out for making it to the semis, but given that we haven’t played in a CL semi-final since 2009, just arriving there by overcoming the European might of Madrid will be an important milestone. And once in the semis, there is always the possibility of even the unlikeliest of dreams coming true.
While our famous, and history making, 3-0 home win in the first leg will always be remembered for two magnificent free-kick goals from Declan Rice, the foundation of that performance was built on defensive composure and quality, tactical and positional solidity, and a genuine self-belief while attacking. That performance also demonstrated a growing maturity from Arteta himself, who dialed down the excessive choreography of our attacking play and trusted his players more with their instinctive decision making, albeit within the framework of a meticulous tactical blueprint.
I see that some in the mushrooming world of football pundits had easily explained away Arsenal’s performance and result as some kind of collective collapse of Madrid stalwarts – but like much of football punditry nowadays, I think opining that Modrić-Camavinga-Bellingham-Mbappé-Rodrygo-Vinicius all suddenly had a terrible day together is a particularly lazy theorizing. Ancelotti had set up his team cleverly enough, trying to slow the game down to lull Arsenal into making mistakes, hoping we over-elaborate in our build-up play, and then counter with the speed and technical brilliance of their forward players. On another day that plan might have worked out perfectly for them, but there was a clarity in Arsenal’s approach and an alertness in our game management that turned Madrid’s pretend passivity against them.
Back home at Bernabéu, chasing a three goal deficit, and buoyed by a vociferous home crowd who are hungry for revenge, Real will come at us at a dizzying speed from the first whistle. If we set up over-defensively hoping to protect our three goal lead, we will play right into their strength and the tie can quickly slip away. The best way to protect the lead will be to keep Madrid defensively honest, and play positively with attacking intent. In the match at the Emirates, despite conceding three (unstoppable) goals, Courtois put in a magnificent performance in their goal and if not for some of his extraordinary saves – and a couple of goal-line defensive clearances by his team-mates – we could have scored even more. We should keep that in mind and try to score goals, while ensuring that we do not take unnecessary risks. That is, play just as we played at home, maybe with a few minor defensive tweaks such as Martinelli & Saka sticking tighter to Rodrygo & Vinicius when they have the ball, and Rice (or Merino) ensuring that the space between Kiwior and Lewis-Skelly doesn’t become too open and wide whenever Myles goes on one of his superbly effective runs through the middle.
Our only previous experience at the Bernabéu was of course the famous 1-0 victory in the first leg of the ‘Round of 16’ en route to the final, courtesy of Henry’s iconic goal (and even more iconic celebration) in the 47th minute. Arsenal’s starting back four that day in front of Jens Lehman was, famously, Eboué-Touré-Senderos-Flamini, facing Beckham-Guti-Zidane-Robinho-Ronaldo (“O Fenômeno”), though in midfield and attack Henry was ably supported by Reyes-Gilberto Silva-Hleb-Ljungberg and the rapidly emerging Fabregas. That has remained one of our more memorable CL away victories – the most memorable for me was the merciless 5-1 dismantling of a great Inter Milan side at San Siro in the Invincibles season. I feel that the current Arsenal squad has all the potential to become the most ever successful of all Arsenal teams in Europe. Whereas winning the league remains a very tangible and achievable goal in the near future – mysterious refereeing decisions notwithstanding – though likely not this season, winning the CL can usher in a new era of unprecedented prominence to a club whose current coaching team and playing squad have the rare combination of potential, drive and humility to be the very best.
This away tie can go a long way to inspiring this team towards that goal, whether we end the season trophyless or not. And I believe that we are well capable of beating Madrid over a two-legged tie. This Wednesday evening at the Bernabéu is not going to be an easy experience for the Arsenal squad, Mikel and the coaching team. They will have to live through some very difficult moments, and have to be able to strike a precariously fine balance between tactical preparedness and the ability to address whatever challenges the match situation throws up. They will have to overcome any lingering inner doubts and uncertainties, and will have to make their individual abilities count with efficiency and ruthlessness. Not only the starting eleven, but the bench too will have to play their part to respond to the demands of the closing minutes. All that said, I am optimistic that the best version of this team – even with all the key injuries – have just the right mix of the technical and the physical, the tactical and the temperamental, the determination and the ambition, to create another memorably joyous European evening for all Arsenal supporters.
The traveling faithful will definitely need to play their part, and for those of us who will be watching from all over the world, these ninety minutes might feel like an eternity, an eternity that would hopefully end with a cathartic release for the Arsenal team, the kind of eternity that we would be willing to relive again and again in coming years.
Mikel will likely start with a predictable first eleven:
Raya
Timber – Saliba – Kiwior – Lewis-Skelly
Partey
Ødegaard – Rice
Saka – Merino – Martinelli
Martin has been somewhat sub-par this season in terms of his creative influence and impact, especially since returning from his injury. And even though his workrate and control in midfield has been impactful, he just hasn’t created enough moments in the final third. I am sure that somewhere in the back of his mind he had been nurturing a hope to go back to Madrid with Arsenal one of these days and remind everyone of the player that he always was meant to become. This can be a match where he rediscovers the full range of his creative impetus and his peerless technical abilities. Madrid, needing to attack from the first minute, will inevitably open up the kind of spaces that Saka and Martinelli both thrive in, in their different but complementary ways. An early goal for Arsenal would fully settle our nerves and will create that extra degree of desperation among the Real players that can then be exploited.
Whereas we drew at home on Saturday against a feisty and spirited Brentford side, Real played Alavés away on Sunday, and managed a 0-1 away victory despite Mbappé being sent off in the 38th minute, the solitary goal coming from Camavinga who won’t play against us, as he is suspended. Looking at that starting line-up, Ancelotti rested Modrić, Bellingham, Vinicius and Brahim, while Mbappé and Rodrygo started. I think all six of them will start against us. And even though people made derisive comments about Modrić’s performance against us – for he was effectively nullified by the front-footed pressing from Partey-Ødegaard-Rice – I think he remains a uniquely capable player who can exploit even the smallest gaps or lapses of concentration in the opposition defense to supply his forward line with perfectly placed and weighted through balls. Saliba & Kiwior will have to be at their very best, and the midfield will need to repeat their high pressing performance from last Tuesday and not give Modrić & Bellingham any time on the ball. They played in a 4-1-4-1 formation at the weekend, and that may very well be the dress rehearsal for this Wednesday, with Modrić playing deeper behind Vinicius-Bellingham-Diaz-Rodrygo and Mbappé in the number 9 role. A key match-up would be between Saka and their left back, whether that would be the experienced Alaba or the younger Fran García, who started on Sunday, will give us a clue to the mindset with which Ancelotti will want to chase the game. Saka should find more space afforded to him than he finds in the PL, and if he can make a telling early contribution, Arsenal will be able to find a stronger foothold in the game.
I think a determined and disciplined – but not overly defensive – performance with a degree of ruthlessness in attack can very well see us winning this match 2-1, and winning the tie.
Come on Arsenal!
Cheers Doc!
Word on the street is Partey, White and Timber all in training this morning.
Top preview, Dr. F. You strike the right balance of optimism and caution. It is going to be a testing 90 minutes.
Beautifully set up Dr.F- the sort of preview a game of this magnitude deserves !
I see this as a sliding doors moment . I was at Highbury in 1970 when we beat Anderlecht to win the Fairs Cup. Like Rory Mcilroy on Sunday a large monkey was lifted from our backs and the consequence was a glorious double the following year .
In 1991 we were favourites to win the European Cup but fell to Benfica and this fundamentally altered George’s approach to football. We were never so exciting again although we won several cups .
If we can get through we have a real chance of winning the trophy which would represent the greatest honour in our history . Lose and a lot of inane criticism will follow. I don’t think we will lose. My feeling is it will end 1-1 but I will watch behind the sofa !
I’m not quite sure when he arrives in Madrid, but CER will be amongst these lads sometime soon.
https://x.com/arsenal23wenger/status/1912171401500414361?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
Thanks Dr F, as you say the starting XI looks likely barring injuries and your approach seems to fit what MA has been saying pre game. It’s a great test of our nerve and one I believe we can pass with flying colours.
Dr F, that’s a great build up to a match that would be a dead rubber against every other team on the planet. Yet the charisma of Real Madrid is such that, even though they have failed to claw back a 0-3 deficit on all three prior occasions they have faced one, one cannot but feel that we need another performance at the level of the home leg.
As Dr F implies, it would be a mistake simply to try to sit on our lead. We need to carry threat, and do that by pressing them high and dominating the midfield but keep that back door tightly closed. Not one player can let their performance drop from their very top level. We must not give their midfielders time on the ball to pick out their passes or any hope that they can claw back our lead. If we can get the first goal, at any point in the game, it may break their resolve but we can expect them to throw the kitchen sink at us and try to manipulate the officials from the first whistle to the point that their hope is gone.
I’m minded to take GG’s approach to the game and play each quarter hour with a target. Just don’t lose a goal in the first half hour. Get to half-time without conceding and we’re nearly there. If we can maintain our three goal lead to 60 minutes they will throw everyone forward and give us space that our forwards can use.
If we get through this QF, it’ll be a result for the history books. Go win, Gunners!
Thanks everyone for the kind words!
I have a feeling that this group of Arsenal players are actually looking forward to the challenge, and they are not at all intimidated. They just need to look at the recording of some of their dominant performances in the last couple of seasons — and I am sure they will do that as a preparation— to remind themselves of their own collective strengths and abilities. They just need to play to their best, fearlessly, manage their emotions well enough to not respond to the provocations — from Real players, the crowds, and other sources — and take their chances, which will inevitably arrive.
We can do it!
Cheers Dr. F,
A perfectly balanced preview. Just what I needed for calming my heart rate. The Arsenal under Arteta is not a pushover we will be calm, composed and relentless. And nore importantly will not be overwwhelmed by the occasion.
Come on Arsenal
Thanks Doc for an excellent preview
Brushing aside the media sensationalism about comebacks and Real Madrid blah blah blah, I’m with Bath that if the tie can be goalless or 1-0 in our favour at half-time then we will see it through.
No worries.
UTA.
An excellent preview Dr F – many thanks. Tonight will be a supreme test as to how far the team has progressed. Arteta will have set up the team to give them the confidence to match whatever Madrid can throw at us ( just like the home leg ), let’s hope the match officials will equally be fully prepared.
COYRRR
Can anyone suggest a stream to see the game?
UTA
Superbly set up, Dr F. MA8 will have instilled belief in the team that Arsenal has the collective mix of skillset and physicality to control this game and leave Madrid with a second win over Real in their famous stadium.
A calm, focused, determined, approach throughout our ranks will be a fundamental prerequisite to this success. There was a time in the days of our Marx Brothers defensive set-up when there was zero likelihood that the likes of Lichsteiner, Sokratis, Mustafi, Kolasinac and their likes, when not a single one of these three characteristics could be expected. Fortunately, we have a new and very different breed in place throughout the team and your focus on a 2-1 away win is not one to be sniffed at.
Just win, Arsenal.
Noosa, I haven’t tried it myself but when I was in hospital people were watching games on fawanews.com
Good luck !
Noosa,
I have a couple of Gooner friends in Oz who watch the Champions League on STAN sport but I imagine you know of them . I’m not sure of how to pick up a stream beyond there .
Good luck. It will be a very early morning session for you I’d imagine .
Bloody hell, BtM – that is one scary back four ! How did that ever happen ?
Real Madrid: Courtois, Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo
Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, Modric, Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Brahim
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Merino
Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, Zinchenko, White, Nwaneri, Sterling, Gower, Henry-Francis, Rosiak, Trossard, Butler-Oyedeji
The team is very much as expected. Glad Timber and Partey have made it ok.
COYGS!
That bench really sums up our injury situation.
If we get to the point of closing out the game, it will be interesting to see if Arteta brings on Gower or Rosiak in the Jorginho role.
I think Madrid is a bit stronger than they were at the Ems with Tchouameni replacing the suspended Camavinga and Vazquez in for Modric as that will let Valverde move into midfield.
That seemed a very un-Saka like thing to do but anyway
0-0 at half time is just fine with me. I hope the 2nd half is
very dull indeed, no goalmouth incidents at all would suit my
heart nicely
Fantastic goal and we are doing so well despite the equalizer
It’s a bastard that TP is out of the first leg but apart from that it was fantastic by us.
They know where to shove their remontada.
For the win hahaha brilliant and a nod to the good doctor 2-1
Great call on the scoreline, Dr F.
I won’t pretend that was the most relaxing watch, but what a performance. Heroes all.
Martinelli: 91st minute, sprints two-thirds of the pitch to cover back on a Madrid counterattack. 93rd minute, sprints two-thirds of the pitch in the opposite direction to score the winner.
fawanews.com put out the feed toCBS. Needed refreshing a few times at inconvenient moments. Commentary changed into Spanish for last 5 minutes.
Also, a shout-out to Kiwior, who has been excellent since stepping in for Big Gabby.
Un-real! Another tremendous performance against the reigning champs. I was nervous as can be until about the 85th minute. Thought the Saka penalty miss could haunt us but the boy more than made amends. Rice was terrific. MLS wonderful. Merino and Partey and Timber, just excellent. Kiwior, way to step up. Marinelli ran his socks off, well-deserved goal. Saliba, aside from Vini picking his pocket, was very good. Raya – was he seriously troubled? Ode, still not at his best but had some very good moments. No reason why we cannot beat PSG. We will miss TP in the first game but Mikel will have a plan. So proud of this team.
Just now read your fine preview for the first time, Dr. F. Supremely well set up and outcome predicted. In case anybody missed it I won’t spoil it by divulging exactly what that outcome was of course. 😎
One might almost feel Mikel read Dr.F’s piece to the team. They followed the plan beautifully !
Well, that was a pretty impressive performance. Heroes all. A masterclass in preserving a lead without simply playing a low block and a well deserved victory in the end. I couldn’t agree more with Up4GrabsNow on the individual performances – he summed them up well as did Ned with his observation on Martinelli.
Onward to Paris!
Yes, it’s a particularly great morning to be a gooner!
I have just enjoyed reading the preview of the game and had to check that it wasn’t a report.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>