Former Arsenal ace used one word to describe Dani Ceballos, now he could destroy Mikel Arteta’s Champions League dreams

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Arsenal are preparing to take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

The Gunners travel to the Spanish capital this week to face Los Blancos at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Real Madrid were brutally beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the first leg, giving the North Londoners an incredible opportunity to progress into the last four of Europe’s elite competition.

However, Carlo Ancelotti is expecting to have a stronger squad available to him, with one key man back and ready to play after injury.

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Sead Kolasinac once called former Arsenal star Dani Ceballos ‘vain’

Dani Ceballos endured a mixed spell on loan at Arsenal between 2019 and 2021.

Enjoying an impressive first season, Ceballos was an imperative figure in Mikel Arteta’s team’s FA Cup success at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

However, the midfielder struggled in his second term in N5, with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka the Arsenal boss’ go-to double pivot.

Ending his Arsenal career with 77 appearances, Ceballos isn’t remembered particularly fondly at the Emirates.

Speaking an interview with Soccer AM in 2020, Sead Kolasinac provided an interesting insight into the now Real Madrid star as a character.

Asked who the vainest player in the Arsenal squad was at the time, the Bosnian responded: “Dani. You see his new hair, so yeah, Dani.

“After showering, [he spends] five to ten minutes doing his hair, so really long for a man.”

Dani Ceballos likely to start for Real Madrid against Arsenal

Ceballos missed the first leg against Arsenal through injury, forcing Ancelotti to select a 39-year-old Luka Modric in the middle of the park.

However, Ancelotti confirmed that Ceballos will be available for the second game at the Bernabeu.

The Spaniard came on as a late substitute against Alaves on the weekend and is primed to start against the Gunners.

Eduardo Camavinga is suspended, while Ancelotti likely won’t be keen on deploying Modric against a physically robust Arsenal side again.

Thus, the veteran Italian manager will probably start the returning Aurelien Tchouameni alongside Ceballos in La Casa Blanca’s double pivot, with Jude Bellingham sat in front of them and Federico Valverde at right-back.