After stunning Real Madrid at the Emirates last week, Arsenal are looking to complete the job in the return leg billed to take place in Bernabeu on Wednesday.
It was the Declan Rice’ show last week Tuesday. The Gunners midfielder stepped up in the second half to score two brilliant freekicks that set the team on the way to a famous victory.
Mikel Merino sealed the win with a great finish of his own, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with a solid 3-0 cushion ahead of the return leg.
In the Premier League, Gunners side settled for a 1-1 draw at home against Brentford.
However, Real Madrid are hyper-focused on staging a comeback in the return leg.
But, they had to navigate a game against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, and they nicked it thanks to Eduardo Camavinga’s 34th-minute strike.
Kylian Mbappé was sent off four minutes after the goal due to a reckless challenge. Los Blancos held on for the victory.
The Gunners remain unbeaten after three matches against Real Madrid in the UCL while they have also never conceded a goal against them.
Last week’s defeat is the fifth time Madrid have lost the first leg of a UCL knockout tie by three or more goals. They have only managed to stage a comeback once in the four previous occasions, and it was against Derby County in 1975-76.
Los Blancos have faced English teams 53 times in the UCL, and they have only managed to win by more than three goals on two occasions – 5-1 against Derby in 1975-76 and 4-0 against Tottenham in 2010-11.
Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni missed the first leg through suspension but will be back for the return leg, while Dani Ceballos and Ferland Mendy could also make their returns against Arsenal.
Eder Militao is back in training but he is not fit enough to play yet, while Dani Carvajal is a confirmed absentee.
However, Camavinga will miss this clash after his late red card at the Emirates last week.
Also, Riccardo Calafiori is back in training for Arsenal, but Ben White and Thomas Partey are doubtful.
Arsenal will remain without Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Jesus, who are all injured.
Jorginho joined the list of injured players after exiting the game against Brentford, holding his chest.
The Gunners have Madrid right where they want them. The Spanish side must throw all they have into a potential comeback, and this will likely leave a lot of spaces in their backline for Arsenal to exploit.
The closest tie in the Champions League quarter-final will see Bayern Munich try to overturn a one-goal deficit away at Inter Milan.
Bayern Munich were left to rue the many chances they missed in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, as they were stunned by Inter late in the game.
