Arsenal face ultimate test in Champions League showdown against Real Madrid | OneFootball

The focus now shifts to the UEFA Champions League for Arsenal. On Tuesday, they host defending champions Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2024–25 quarter-finals. Mikel Arteta’s side qualified for this round after defeating Dutch side PSV Eindhoven 9–3 on aggregate in the round of 16.

The Gunners will be keen to get back to winning ways after managing only a 1–1 draw at Everton on Saturday in the Premier League. On the positive side, following recent injury troubles, Ben White and Jurrien Timber had a successful outing at Goodison Park. Both are in contention to feature on Tuesday. Myles Lewis-Skelly, William Saliba, and Jakub Kiwior are expected to keep their places in the backline, with David Raya behind them.

Mikel Merino is again anticipated to start as the number nine, with Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on either side. In midfield, Thomas Partey should return to the starting XI after being left on the bench for the entire match against Everton. Meanwhile, Martin Ødegaard, who made a substitute appearance at the weekend, should start alongside Partey and Declan Rice in midfield.

Bukayo Saka returned to the team a week ago after a long injury layoff, scoring against Fulham. He followed that with another substitute appearance against the Toffees at the weekend. He is expected to make his first start since December for Arsenal on Tuesday against Real Madrid.

The match marks the Spanish giants’ first-ever visit to Emirates Stadium. They will be without Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal due to long-term injuries. Meanwhile, Ferland Mendy has been ruled out of the first leg with a hamstring injury. Aurélien Tchouaméni is suspended for the match as well.

Mikel Arteta has expressed his desire for the home fans to back the team even before kickoff. He said, “I hope, I encourage them to come very early to the warm-up and create [one of] those nights that… we haven’t lived many of those at the Emirates, so that’s an opportunity again. When we build history, we have to build moments, and a moment is being built with our people."

He continued, “And we have to create that energy, that belief, that enthusiasm to play every single action there, because the bonus, the confidence that that gives you, there is nothing else that we can replicate, that I can tell the players constantly to maintain that throughout the 95 minutes that the game is going to be played.”