Arsenal travel to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday night, seeking to complete the job after a stunning 3-0 first-leg victory, and this is the team Mikel Arteta has selected.
The Gunners have been in impressive form throughout this European campaign, particularly away from home. With three wins, a draw, and just one defeat on their travels, Arsenal have demonstrated both resilience and attacking quality. Their current five-match unbeaten run away from home in the competition further underlines their confidence and consistency on the road.
Goals have not been in short supply for Arsenal, who have found the net in each of their last seven Champions League matches. The last time they failed to score was against Inter Milan in the league phase, a testament to their attacking threat and reliability in front of goal. In their last six matches across all competitions, Arsenal have remained undefeated, winning three and drawing three, while scoring first in every outing. Their defensive solidity has also improved, conceding only five times in that period and allowing just one first-half goal.
The first-leg performance at the Emirates was a statement of intent. Arsenal’s ability to control the tempo, press high, and take their chances has given them a significant cushion. However, they will be wary of complacency, knowing the hosts’ pedigree in this competition.
Despite a difficult first leg, Real Madrid remains a formidable force at the Bernabéu, boasting five wins from six home matches in this season’s Champions League. However, they arrive for the second leg without a goal in their last 215 minutes of European football, a rare drought for a club of their stature. Their last strike came in the round of 16 against Atlético Madrid.
Recent form has been mixed, with three wins, a draw, and two defeats in their last six outings in all competitions. Defensive vulnerabilities have been exposed, conceding 12 times in that stretch. Still, the hosts have a proud European history and will be desperate to overturn the deficit in front of their own supporters.
Arsenal’s fine away record and recent form give them every reason to believe they can finish the job, but a trip to the Bernabéu is never straightforward. With a three-goal cushion, the Gunners will look to manage the game intelligently, knowing that an early goal could all but seal their place in the semi-finals. For the hosts, only a dramatic turnaround will suffice, and they will need to rediscover their attacking spark to stand any chance of progressing.
Here we go! Arsenal qualify for the semi!. I says so.
Why should Saka miss free penalty? Saka dissapointed fans. I hope he will make it up
So the Arsenal juggernaut rumbles on.
No surprises. Let’s hope, there are no surprises in the game.
Rice is taking my breath away
COYG.
I’m so nervous but you can do it boys.
Make us proud again.
Love you my Arsenal.
Surprised by headline comment White on the bench. He was only going to be on the bench at best.
This is the team I expected
I wish White was in there but hopefully our defence will do the job.
An early goal from us would be nice
If we play our best and Madrid play there best we will probably lose the match but qualify which is still a great.
If we don’t play our best it could get ugly because Madrid are capable especially at home of overcoming a 3 goals deficit.
Anyway I expect us to do good enough to qualify to the Semi-Finals
COYG
I am worried with the Midfield of Real Madrid
They can easily control our Midfield with with the toxic environment of Santiago Bernabeu
If we manage to keep 0-0 till 60 mins then we are through
But my fear is saying that we could lose in Penalty Shootout
I am so scared including my heartbeats
I take solace in one important fact, the last ten European team played here, all scored against this outfit, they can’t defend if their life depends on it
3 goals comeback is nearly impossible task for Madrid. If we manage to let them do that everyone should get fired. Starting from the manager, his players and after firing everyone the Kroenkes should fire themselves too.
An amazing display by the boys and manager
Don’t think anyone is sacked in the morning
Onwards and upwards
I think it’s about time for me to hide behind my sofa. 😂🤣 Good luck boys.👍😉
📢 Come on you Gunners.🏆
I might just be doing the same
COYG!!!
Show up and turn up Fellas…COYG
Come on guys,pls get a pop corn and a glass of juice.Nothing to worry about
Arsenal will advance period 😎
Mate have some faith,pls sir comfortable on your sofa and enjoy seeing arsenal destroy rag Madrid.we are arsenal
Looking at the atmosphere at the Bernabeu, it’s awesome. COYG
Good luck to the boys, hopefully we keep disciplined and don’t get unnecessary bookings especially Rice, Martineli and Partey might face suspension in the semis
Come on boys 3-0 and 6 on aggregate 💪 we can do this
Good luck everyone
What a scene!
Forget about Mbbappe and Martineli, this battle will be decided in midfield by our two wise men.
Good good
Alaba on yellow already
Keep running at him
Pen
Commentary was terrible
I was like why is he going to screen lol.
Odegaard penalty please
Noooooooo
Nooooo
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
LEARN EPL REFEREESS. LEARNNNNN YEESSSSSSS
Man can’t get those heads down. Why panenka saka whyyy
That was so stupid penalty
I hope this is not going to haunt us
Positive is this peeps
Real look scared defensively
Two on yellows
I was never a fan of Saka’s penalties
Never saw him shoot one like that
Wtf was that penalty ? A terrible attempt at a panenka. Was that overconfidence?
Or pressure
Nerves for sure… he changed his mind in the very last moment and fluffed it! 😃
The Big German is our best penalty taker, Rice or Odegaard should be the designate
So who is the big German in our team?
This game is destined to be very stressful…
Oh Lordy
That referee has balls. Fair play man fair play 👍
Commentary terrible
VAR going Arsenal way
Zero conspiracy tonight then lol.
This is how VAR works, Allan Webb take note
Howard 🙂
Thank you SueP
I am worried
My dear is saying that Real will Nick it in the Penalty Shootout
That decision might knock stuffing out of Real ?
Come on Arteta get everything under control. Let’s go
May the best dark arts specialist win!
Forget about their retractable stadium roof , the sting is gone from the game
Still plenty of time Gunsmoke
Managing this well
I do think often Odegarrd over complicates things
He does. He turns a simple task to a daunting one
Agree, real confidence player it transpires.
Declan Rice is immense
My biggest worry atm is raya getting a second yellow for holding on too long
If this were a game in the EPL, I’m sure the referee would have let the opponent play rugby with Arsenal players and never call a foul.
And what a bad game of football. Real madrid are playing like savages looking to injured arsenal players. Arsenal players aren’t softies anymore like they were some years back, it is clear.
Same That ref ain’t messing around.
First half gone without any dramas. I think there will be few VAR converts after tonight. Everyone done well, with the massive exception of Odergaard, he has been close to being a liability. Not a captains performance. And it has to be said, an awful penalty.
He’s been fairly dreadful with the ball indeed. Needs his confidence back fast.
We are holding well but I sure hope Arteta slaps Saka in the changing room! How do you miss such a crucial penalty? Could have easily ended this tie with just one goal but Saka tried to be clever.. aaargh!!!
Odegaard is suffocating our game atm. Just playing irrationaly.
Feared the penalty stopped would have fired up this game but Real have been unable to create anything. That long var decision also broke the rhythm.
Kudos to the ref spotting the rough play from Madrid and sanctioning them.
Have seen enough, ninty minutes in London and forty five minutes on their own turf, the cemetery of talents have no character.
Forget about their wonderful stadium, it makes for a wonderful spectacle, nothing more, they do not deserves to progress
I don’t think it was right to give the penalty to Saka, I don’t think he’s fully up to speed at the moment. I was asking to give it to Declan Rice, but we’ll never know now.
Defensively I like how Kiwior and Skelly-Lewis are holding their own in there, Saliba is Marshalling the Defense nicely.
Real is not better than us but having Odeaggard f…up a simple pass before he pirouettes 2 times is a nightmare
And Martinelli from 6 yards out can’t shoot high near post. Fundamentally inept
“Fundamentally inept” lol, lol, lol.
The cemetery of talents is growing into the game
Rudiger I wish bad things happen to you for trying to assault a player.
Hmm that looked like it should’ve been a red to Rudiger on MLS
What a goal
What a performance
The star boy shows why he’s the star boy
Only spoiled by a cock up
😡😡😡
Oh poo lol
In a sense 1-1 is the same situation lol
O poo indeed!
Oh Saliba again overconfidence cost us like the penalty.
Arsenal are really going for it now
It’s okay
We are still 4-1 up
COYG
that’s the spirit
Looking at the replay I’m glad Saliba resisted pulling him down
He was thinking about it
Could have been red
Saka redeem himself well
And Saliba redeems himself!
Saliba is having very nervy end of the game
Have a funny feeling there is still another goal left in this one.
What a great performance so far and MA has got it perfectly correct.
Just remember we have Havertz, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Jesus all out and we are dominating the current holders of the CL!!
Any thoughts on this referees performance tonight?
The fact that RM still have 11 men on the pitch is a disgrace.
Cue Dan to come back and talk about a game in the PL two seasons ago 😂
How on earth is Rudigar still on the pitch!
Strong perf by the ref but a silly yellow from Partey
I thought the ref was ok and VAR. Spot on. Between them, they got most right. No fuss ref, reffed fairly.
Ken 😂😂😂
How stupid was that by Partey ? Now he will miss the 1st leg vs psg.
Yes it was Ackshay
Absolutely no need at all.
And as I write this Martinelli scores
Blooming marvellous
There’s something wrong with that guy. Why’d he do that… The only blip from a fantastic night
So happy for Martinelli
And you know what ….we deserved to win on the night
Yes there was some mistakes but we made Real look like the newbie, we looked like the one with 15 CL tonight.
Amazing performance from the Arsenal. Not many teams outplay Real Madrid, fewer still do it in both legs.
Madrid came to wrestle and injured Arsenal players. Barely played football. No respect for them
Well, well, well.
Stuffed Real Madrid
Derek and I can come out from behind our sofas and yeee haaa!!!!
Well done the players and well done Arteta and his staff
Tear in my eye
I know we were going through but I’m glad we won it for an iconic moment
Declan Rice ….what have you just done ?
You knew nothing. Plastic fan.
Yet I met Mr Wenger lol
His post match interview is priceless about how he feels about the club and what the manager and his staff have achieved
Ecstatic
SueP,
I’ve only just come out from behind mine. 🤣😂👍😉🏆
@Dan and @Dan Kit, we knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League, I hope you cry me a river tonight.
When did I say we wouldn’t ?
Fantastic performance from the guys. Rice has delivered two truly great midfield performances in consecutive games in the CL.
Conquering the Bernabeau AGAIN! ANOTHER PERFECT NIGHT!!
Home and away!!! yeaaaah!
Absolutely superb performance in both legs and every single player deserves MOTM.
Martinelli was just a human dynamo and the way he left the Madrid defenders in his wake and cool slipped the ball past the Chelsea reject was the icing on the cake!!
To think some fans were saying he had to go!!
It’s true, the only way to watch CL football in the UK is at The Emirates stadium North London!!
OMG what have we done…killed them outright
Jesus Allah Buddha. The Ladz pulled it off. Big Ups to Arteta in every respect. On to the next one. Take a bow Ladz. Job well done…👏🏾
I do believe we are the only club in CL history who have a undefeated record against Real Madrid and, as I said in earlier, empty vessels make the most noise and that summed up RM perfectly over the two legs!!!
Technically Lille lol
Although they only played once
Arsenal are finally champions league semi finalists once again. I pray they go all the way and finish the job this time
Finally, I start to catch a whiff of the cup in the Gunners’ lockers!
Come on, you gunners!!! 👍