Real Madrid have a mountain to climb if they are to make it a successful Champions League defence following their 3-0 dismantling by Arsenal in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Emirates, but the Spanish giants can set up a nervy night for the Gunners at the Bernabeu.
Real claimed the Champions League crown for a record 15th time with last season’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, but they are 11-2 to just make the semi-final this time after their first-leg humiliation in London.
Rice Cooked : Two stunning Declan Rice free-kicks and a cool finish from Mikel Merino put Arsenal in the ascendancy, but Real will still believe despite last Tuesday’s below-par display.
Carlo Ancelotti's side were unable to match Arsenal’s energy and intensity in the opening exchange and a total of only three shots on target is a poor return for a side featuring world-class operators such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
The damage may have already been done but Real are unlikely to go out with a whimper. They have no choice but to go for broke and that could be the formula for plenty of drama.
The La Liga heavyweights have lost only one of their last 19 Champions League home games and in this season’s competition alone they have put five past visiting Borussia Dortmund and Salzburg, while also recording 3-1 victories over Manchester City and Stuttgart.
Real have scored three or more in 13 of their 23 home games this term and they should get more joy against the Gunners defence at the Bernabeu, especially as the visitors are missing centre-back chief Gabriel.
But, while victory shouldn’t prove beyond them, Real’s own problems lie defensively and their desperation for goals may ultimately come at a cost.
Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy all miss out and that is a big blow for Real, whose only clean sheet in 13 Champions League appearances this season came in a 3-0 victory at Brest.
Bukayo Saka was a constant thorn in Real’s side in the opening leg and keeping out an Arsenal side who have won 5-1 at Sporting and 7-1 at PSV in two of their last three European trips looks a tall order.
Both teams have scored in Real Madrid’s last ten Champions League home matches and their only shutout in their last 12 games at the Bernabeu came in a 2-0 league win over Girona in February.
Arsenal should feel that a goal is all that they require to secure their place in the semi-final.
However, Real Madrid's midfield is in for a huge boost for the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Not only is Dani Ceballos set to return from injury, but Aurélien Tchouaméni is back available after serving his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.
With superstars like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham in white, along with the return of two irreplaceable midfielders, Los Blancos have what it takes to complete another historic comeback in Madrid.
The Gunners on the other hand, held the Spanish giants, featuring Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, goalless in the first leg, setting themselves up for a potential trip to the Champions League semifinals with a 3 - 0 advantage.
Arsenal’s first-leg victory was the 12th time an English side had won by three or more goals in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie, with the previous 11 all successfully advancing.
Mikel Arteta’s side have a tremendous defensive record going in their favour, only conceding 0.55 goals per game in the Champions League this season. Only in 2005-06, when they reached the final, have they conceded fewer (0.31).
But it could be that attack is the best form of defence for the Gunners, as their 2.55 goals per game in the Champions League is also their second-best figure in a single edition (after 2.63 in 2005-06).
In the first leg, Arsenal were too dynamic for their opponents, with Bukayo Saka running at David Alaba time and again while Rice single-handedly won the midfield battle.
All the Gunners need to do is limit Madrid to a margin of victory not exceeding two goals.
And Arsenal have a fantastic record against the Spanish giants, remaining unbeaten against them in three meetings (two wins, one draw) and not conceding a single goal.
They could become the first team to ever keep four consecutive clean sheets against Madrid in the European Cup/Champions League, heaving beaten them 1-0 on aggregate in the last 16 of the 2005-06 edition, via a Thierry Henry goal at the Bernabéu.
