Arsenal meet Real Madrid in the first leg of their 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final.
Arsenal comfortably dispatched PSV in the Round of 16 to secure their spot in this Quarter-Final, whilst Real needed penalties to beat Atletico Madrid in a controversial tie.
Team News
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 1-1 draw at Everton in the Premier League, amidst several changes as Mikel Arteta rotated his squad.
Raheem Sterling however is suspended after he picked up his third booking in the campaign during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw at home to PSV last month.
Gabriel, Kai Havertz (both hamstring), Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu (all knee) remain absent.
Real Madrid will be without defender, Aurelien Tchouameni after he picked up a third booking during their eventual Round of 16 victory at Atletico Madrid on penalties.
Thibaut Courtois (calf) is a doubt despite travelling to North London but Ferland Mendy (muscle), Andriy Lunin and Dani Ceballos (both calf), Daniel Carvajal plus Eder Militao (both knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Arsenal host Real Madrid at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 8 April at 8pm BST, live on Amazon Prime in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal are yet to lose to Real Madrid in the Champions League (W1, D1).
- Real Madrid drew 0-0 in their only previous Champions League visit to Arsenal in March 2006, albeit at their former home – Highbury.
- Arsenal have kept clean sheets in each of their two previous Champions League meetings against Real Madrid.
- Declan Rice has scored in Arsenal’s last two home games in this competition (W1, D1).
- Real Madrid have kept just one clean sheet in six away games in this season’s competition (W3, L3)
Prediction
With the Premier League title now almost beyond their grasp barring a miracle, I wasn’t surprised to see Mikel Arteta rotate his squad at Everton where they simply didn’t convert many of their chances in a scrappy battle, which in reality was more stop-start without much flow.
With Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka amongst those benched on Merseyside, I now expect a much sharper performance given that there will be fresh legs from the get-go here as they really could do with a win in this leg otherwise they face an uphill struggle to advance if lose at home.
Real meanwhile do look vulnerable defensively with no clean sheets in their last eight games in all competitions yet they do still possess a dangerous attacking edge – having drawn blank just once in that run, which poses a huge challenge for a slightly weaker Arsenal defence minus Gabriel.
With both teams dealing with different defensive issues, I do expect this game to be initially cagey but if Arsenal can show more composure than we saw on Merseyside, I can see them nicking this.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Real Madrid
