Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid is finally here, as the Gunners take on Carlo Ancelotti’s men on Tuesday night.
The Emirates plays host to the European showdown before Mikel Arteta’s men travel to the Spanish capital for the second leg at the Bernabeu next week.
Arteta and Bukayo Saka told Arsenal fans to bring the noise to N5 for the first encounter against Los Blancos, with the game arguably the club’s biggest fixture for over ten years.
Arsenal will be without Gabriel Magalhaes, while Real Madrid are missing six key players for their trip to North London.
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Bukayo Saka reveals he spoke to Jude Bellingham about Arsenal v Real Madrid
Real Madrid boast a potent attacking unit, led by a rapid front line consisting of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
Behind them, Jude Bellingham’s late bursts into the box can devastate the opposition, and this is something Arsenal will have to be wary of.
Bellingham shares a dressing room with Saka for England, and the Gunners winger revealed the brief interaction he had with the midfielder in the Three Lions set-up about the Champions League tie.
“I had a brief chat with him in the changing room but not much was said,” he said in Monday’s press conference.
With both players clearly eager to keep their cards close to their chest, the battle on the pitch is sure to be a fascinating one.
Mikel Arteta warns his players of Real Madrid’s individual quality
Bellingham is one of a number of players at Ancelotti’s disposal who has the individual quality to turn a nothing moment into a dangerous moment.
As well as the Englishman and the aforementioned front three, the Italian manager can call upon the likes of Brahim Diaz, Ardu Guler and Endrick to strengthen his attack as the game develops.
Asked about Real Madrid’s forward players in his press conference on Friday, Arteta warned his squad of the quality that they possess.
“For sure, with individual quality that they have, especially when you put them in certain situations, you know the danger that you are facing,” the Arsenal boss said.
“But that’s the stages. It doesn’t get much bigger than that, that’s why consistently they’ve been doing what they’ve been doing in this competition because they can create those moments.
“When it comes to the biggest stage, individual performance, players can decide the games.”
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