A huge night of Champions League action awaits on Tuesday (8pm UK) as we eye taking a huge step towards a first appearance in the semi-finals since 2009 at the expense of Real Madrid.
Los Blancos will make their first-ever competitive appearance at Emirates Stadium, but while the 15-time winners have beaten 111 teams in the competition’s history, we are not one of them courtesy of our famous last-16 success in the only previous meaningful meetings between the teams.
While we’re looking to reach the final four for just a third time, Madrid’s love affair with the competition sees them looking to make that a reality for the fifth consecutive season. But we head into the first leg knowing that no team has beaten us in north London in 10 Champions League games since our return last term, and an extension of that run would put us in a superb place before our visit to the Spanish capital eight days later.
As they attempt to win successive La Ligas for the first time since 2008, Madrid currently sit in second spot behind Barcelona, four points behind after conceding in the 95th minute to lose 2-1 at home to Valencia on Saturday, their second defeat in five league games.
Two pieces of silverware have been claimed this season - the UEFA Super Cup and the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup when they beat Mexican side Pachuca 3–0 in the final, while they are in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona as they eye a first-ever treble.
They have though tasted defeat four times on their run to the Champions League quarter-finals, with losses to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool contributing an 11th-place finish in the league phase. But a 6-3 success over Manchester City in the play-off round was followed by a penalty shootout success against neighbours Atletico to scrape into the last eight.
Arteta: “At these stages, you need your home stadium to create a very, very special atmosphere to generate momentum. So, let's go. I encourage everybody to go there tomorrow to play the game with us. Not to be there watching it but to play the game with us.
"I encourage them to come very early to the warm-up, and create those nights that we haven't lived many of at Emirates Stadium, so that's an opportunity again. When we have built history, we have to build moments, and a moment is being built with our people.
"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."
Ancelotti: "Arsenal is very strong and powerful from set pieces. We’ll try to defend as best we can, but we can also hurt the other team from set pieces. It’s a very important aspect of the game.
"Mikel is doing a fantastic job. In five years he has taken this team to the top of Europe, he is doing very well.
"He has built a complete team, and there are not many complete teams in Europe. There are not many complete teams like Arsenal
Raheem Sterling is suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the competition this term, while Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber are one booking away from their own one-match bans.
Gabriel and Kai Havertz (hamstring) and Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) remain our long-term concerns with the quartet unavailable for the rest of 2024/25.
Thibaut Courtois is among the travelling part for the first leg after the goalkeeper missed the last three games with a knee issue, but backup Andriy Lunin is out with a leg injury. French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will serve a one-game ban. His international teammate Ferland Mendy has also not made the trip with a muscle complaint, while ex-Gunner Dani Ceballos is out with a calf problem.
Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao will miss the remainder of the campaign with serious knee injuries, while Real have six players who could miss the second leg should they be cautioned in this game - Lucas Vazquez, Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric, Endrick, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Ancelotti’s class of 2025 like to adopt a hybrid 4-4-2. Out of possession they are more compact than in previous years, usually tucking Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo infield to form a narrow midfield quartet. Defending in a mid-block rather than pressing high, forwards Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe are then charged with the task of screening the passing lanes.
On the ball, Madrid are brilliant at springing into life in a fluid, razor-sharp 4-2-1-3. Bellingham drifts around as a free No.10, behind a frighteningly quick attack that is good enough to hurt you in a multitude of ways. We are used to seeing Kylian Mbappe dazzle from the left wing, but under Ancelotti he has developed into a fearsome centre forward, still at his most dangerous cutting in from the left, with each passing week the Frenchman looks increasingly comfortable down the middle.
At the right times they keep possession for sustained periods, but they can also sit off and soak up pressure before striking on the break. In this first leg I would expect them to adopt that counter-attacking style, and having scored four times in the competition from fast breaks, it will suit them,
Keeping clean sheets has been problematic for the 15-time winners in this year’s competition, registering just one shutout in their 12 matches. Injuries to key defensive personnel have left them vulnerable, with players like Vasquez, Federico Valverde and Tchouameni deputising out of position within the back four. In half of their Champions League games in 2024/25, Madrid have also fallen behind to the opening goal, so a fast start tonight could reap rewards.
Facts and stats
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Pre-Match Report
Preview: Arsenal v Real Madrid
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Jonathon Rogers
08 Apr 2025
Arsenal v Real Madrid
A huge night of Champions League action awaits on Tuesday (8pm UK) as we eye taking a huge step towards a first appearance in the semi-finals since 2009 at the expense of Real Madrid.
Los Blancos will make their first-ever competitive appearance at Emirates Stadium, but while the 15-time winners have beaten 111 teams in the competition’s history, we are not one of them courtesy of our famous last-16 success in the only previous meaningful meetings between the teams.
While we’re looking to reach the final four for just a third time, Madrid’s love affair with the competition sees them looking to make that a reality for the fifth consecutive season. But we head into the first leg knowing that no team has beaten us in north London in 10 Champions League games since our return last term, and an extension of that run would put us in a superb place before our visit to the Spanish capital eight days later.
01:08
Famous faces get ready for Real Madrid!
Real deal or falling behind?
Real Madrid react to conceding against Valencia
As they attempt to win successive La Ligas for the first time since 2008, Madrid currently sit in second spot behind Barcelona, four points behind after conceding in the 95th minute to lose 2-1 at home to Valencia on Saturday, their second defeat in five league games.
Two pieces of silverware have been claimed this season - the UEFA Super Cup and the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup when they beat Mexican side Pachuca 3–0 in the final, while they are in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona as they eye a first-ever treble.
They have though tasted defeat four times on their run to the Champions League quarter-finals, with losses to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool contributing an 11th-place finish in the league phase. But a 6-3 success over Manchester City in the play-off round was followed by a penalty shootout success against neighbours Atletico to scrape into the last eight.
Read more
Everything you need to know about Real Madrid
What the managers say
15:46
Mikel Arteta's pre-Real Madrid press conference
Arteta: “At these stages, you need your home stadium to create a very, very special atmosphere to generate momentum. So, let's go. I encourage everybody to go there tomorrow to play the game with us. Not to be there watching it but to play the game with us.
"I encourage them to come very early to the warm-up, and create those nights that we haven't lived many of at Emirates Stadium, so that's an opportunity again. When we have built history, we have to build moments, and a moment is being built with our people.
"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."
Read more
Every word of Mikel’s pre-Madrid press conference
Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti: "Arsenal is very strong and powerful from set pieces. We’ll try to defend as best we can, but we can also hurt the other team from set pieces. It’s a very important aspect of the game.
"Mikel is doing a fantastic job. In five years he has taken this team to the top of Europe, he is doing very well.
"He has built a complete team, and there are not many complete teams in Europe. There are not many complete teams like Arsenal."
Team news
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the competition this term, while Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber are one booking away from their own one-match bans.
Gabriel and Kai Havertz (hamstring) and Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) remain our long-term concerns with the quartet unavailable for the rest of 2024/25.
Thibaut Courtois is among the travelling part for the first leg after the goalkeeper missed the last three games with a knee issue, but backup Andriy Lunin is out with a leg injury. French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will serve a one-game ban. His international teammate Ferland Mendy has also not made the trip with a muscle complaint, while ex-Gunner Dani Ceballos is out with a calf problem.
Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao will miss the remainder of the campaign with serious knee injuries, while Real have six players who could miss the second leg should they be cautioned in this game - Lucas Vazquez, Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric, Endrick, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
Talking tactics
Kylian Mbappe celebrate scoring for Real Madrid
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Ancelotti’s class of 2025 like to adopt a hybrid 4-4-2. Out of possession they are more compact than in previous years, usually tucking Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo infield to form a narrow midfield quartet. Defending in a mid-block rather than pressing high, forwards Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe are then charged with the task of screening the passing lanes.
On the ball, Madrid are brilliant at springing into life in a fluid, razor-sharp 4-2-1-3. Bellingham drifts around as a free No.10, behind a frighteningly quick attack that is good enough to hurt you in a multitude of ways. We are used to seeing Kylian Mbappe dazzle from the left wing, but under Ancelotti he has developed into a fearsome centre forward, still at his most dangerous cutting in from the left, with each passing week the Frenchman looks increasingly comfortable down the middle.
At the right times they keep possession for sustained periods, but they can also sit off and soak up pressure before striking on the break. In this first leg I would expect them to adopt that counter-attacking style, and having scored four times in the competition from fast breaks, it will suit them,
Keeping clean sheets has been problematic for the 15-time winners in this year’s competition, registering just one shutout in their 12 matches. Injuries to key defensive personnel have left them vulnerable, with players like Vasquez, Federico Valverde and Tchouameni deputising out of position within the back four. In half of their Champions League games in 2024/25, Madrid have also fallen behind to the opening goal, so a fast start tonight could reap rewards.
Facts and stats
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri following the win against Man City
Real Madrid have won just three of their last eight away games in the Champions League, with three of those games coming in England.
Real haven’t lost the first leg in any of their last eight knockout stage ties; their joint-longest run in first leg meetings.
We have won just one of our last eight home games in the knockout stages of the Champions League and have been eliminated from each of our last seven knockout ties when playing the first leg on home soil.
We have had 13 different scorers in the competition this season, with only Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17 (15) and Madrid in 2001/02 (14) having more in a single campaign in its history (excl. own goals).
We have led for longer than any other team in Champions League matches this season (568 minutes overall), while only Inter Milan (5 minutes) have trailed for fewer minutes than us (65).
Bukayo Saka has had a hand in 14 goals in 14 Champions League appearances (8 goals, 6 assists). He has scored in all but one of his seven home appearances in the competition.
A huge night of Champions League action awaits on Tuesday (8pm UK) as we eye taking a huge step towards a first appearance in the semi-finals since 2009 at the expense of Real Madrid.
Los Blancos will make their first-ever competitive appearance at Emirates Stadium, but while the 15-time winners have beaten 111 teams in the competition’s history, we are not one of them courtesy of our famous last-16 success in the only previous meaningful meetings between the teams.
While we’re looking to reach the final four for just a third time, Madrid’s love affair with the competition sees them looking to make that a reality for the fifth consecutive season. But we head into the first leg knowing that no team has beaten us in north London in 10 Champions League games since our return last term, and an extension of that run would put us in a superb place before our visit to the Spanish capital eight days later.
Real deal or falling behind?
As they attempt to win successive La Ligas for the first time since 2008, Madrid currently sit in second spot behind Barcelona, four points behind after conceding in the 95th minute to lose 2-1 at home to Valencia on Saturday, their second defeat in five league games.
Two pieces of silverware have been claimed this season - the UEFA Super Cup and the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup when they beat Mexican side Pachuca 3–0 in the final, while they are in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona as they eye a first-ever treble.
They have though tasted defeat four times on their run to the Champions League quarter-finals, with losses to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool contributing an 11th-place finish in the league phase. But a 6-3 success over Manchester City in the play-off round was followed by a penalty shootout success against neighbours Atletico to scrape into the last eight.
What the managers say
Arteta: “At these stages, you need your home stadium to create a very, very special atmosphere to generate momentum. So, let's go. I encourage everybody to go there tomorrow to play the game with us. Not to be there watching it but to play the game with us.
"I encourage them to come very early to the warm-up, and create those nights that we haven't lived many of at Emirates Stadium, so that's an opportunity again. When we have built history, we have to build moments, and a moment is being built with our people.
"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."
Ancelotti: "Arsenal is very strong and powerful from set pieces. We’ll try to defend as best we can, but we can also hurt the other team from set pieces. It’s a very important aspect of the game.
"Mikel is doing a fantastic job. In five years he has taken this team to the top of Europe, he is doing very well.
"He has built a complete team, and there are not many complete teams in Europe. There are not many complete teams like Arsenal."
Team news
Raheem Sterling is suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the competition this term, while Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber are one booking away from their own one-match bans.
Gabriel and Kai Havertz (hamstring) and Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) remain our long-term concerns with the quartet unavailable for the rest of 2024/25.
Thibaut Courtois is among the travelling part for the first leg after the goalkeeper missed the last three games with a knee issue, but backup Andriy Lunin is out with a leg injury. French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will serve a one-game ban. His international teammate Ferland Mendy has also not made the trip with a muscle complaint, while ex-Gunner Dani Ceballos is out with a calf problem.
Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao will miss the remainder of the campaign with serious knee injuries, while Real have six players who could miss the second leg should they be cautioned in this game - Lucas Vazquez, Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric, Endrick, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Ancelotti’s class of 2025 like to adopt a hybrid 4-4-2. Out of possession they are more compact than in previous years, usually tucking Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo infield to form a narrow midfield quartet. Defending in a mid-block rather than pressing high, forwards Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe are then charged with the task of screening the passing lanes.
On the ball, Madrid are brilliant at springing into life in a fluid, razor-sharp 4-2-1-3. Bellingham drifts around as a free No.10, behind a frighteningly quick attack that is good enough to hurt you in a multitude of ways. We are used to seeing Kylian Mbappe dazzle from the left wing, but under Ancelotti he has developed into a fearsome centre forward, still at his most dangerous cutting in from the left, with each passing week the Frenchman looks increasingly comfortable down the middle.
At the right times they keep possession for sustained periods, but they can also sit off and soak up pressure before striking on the break. In this first leg I would expect them to adopt that counter-attacking style, and having scored four times in the competition from fast breaks, it will suit them,
Keeping clean sheets has been problematic for the 15-time winners in this year’s competition, registering just one shutout in their 12 matches. Injuries to key defensive personnel have left them vulnerable, with players like Vasquez, Federico Valverde and Tchouameni deputising out of position within the back four. In half of their Champions League games in 2024/25, Madrid have also fallen behind to the opening goal, so a fast start tonight could reap rewards.
Facts and stats
Real Madrid have won just three of their last eight away games in the Champions League, with three of those games coming in England.
Real haven’t lost the first leg in any of their last eight knockout stage ties; their joint-longest run in first leg meetings.
We have won just one of our last eight home games in the knockout stages of the Champions League and have been eliminated from each of our last seven knockout ties when playing the first leg on home soil.
We have had 13 different scorers in the competition this season, with only Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17 (15) and Madrid in 2001/02 (14) having more in a single campaign in its history (excl. own goals).
We have led for longer than any other team in Champions League matches this season (568 minutes overall), while only Inter Milan (5 minutes) have trailed for fewer minutes than us (65).
Bukayo Saka has had a hand in 14 goals in 14 Champions League appearances (8 goals, 6 assists). He has scored in all but one of his seven home appearances in the competition.
Since the start of the 2021/22 season, Vinicius Junior has been involved in the most Champions League knockout stage goals (19 – 9 goals, 10 assists).
The only English player to start in a Champions League quarter-final aged 18 or younger is Jude Bellingham. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri could become the only players other than him to do so here.
Following goals against Girona and PSV, Nwaneri could become the youngest player in Champions League history to score in three consecutive appearances (18y 18d).
Match officials
The only Bosnian to referee a Champions League game, Irfan Peljto takes control of this match. He has been on the FIFA list since 2015, and both teams have 100% records under his watch, with us beating Molde in 2020 and Bodo/Glimt in 2022 in the Europa League, while Real beat RB Leipzig in last season’s Champions League quarter-finals.
In his six games in the competition this term, Peljto has awarded a penalty in five of them. He has dished out 15 yellows and one red in that time too.
Referee: Irfan Peljto (BIH)
Assistant: Senad Ibrisimbegovic, Davor Beljo (BIH)
Fourth official: Milos Gigovic (BIH)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
Assistant VAR: Christian Dingert (GER)
Previous meetings
Get a unique flavour of the Emirates atmosphere by tuning into Live From N5 when Frimmy and Jeremie Aliadiere will be pitchside 75 minutes before kick-off on Arsenal.com and the official app.
They'll be joined by a selection of former Gunners including Alex Song to share their memories of high-pressure contests, and then Timbsy and Sharky pick up the baton from the studio with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Little Simz and Ashley Walters. They'll provide a sneak peek of some exciting content coming your way, featuring the return of Guess the Arsenal Player, and Declan Rice gives us his top three goals.
Frimmy will be posing his Question of the Day, before kick-by-kick commentary comes from Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke who'll take you through all the first-leg happenings.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the game live wherever you are in the world.
Real Madrid finally getting the scoreline they deserve. Arsenal would have scored more goals if they had a proper #9. M. Lewis-Skelly was one of Arsenal's best player. Even though he was left back on paper, he was tasked with progressing the ball from the middle. Ancelotti showed so much respect to Arsenal by focusing a lot on defensive soundness rather than creative outlets. However, they still conceeded 3 goals. MVP for Rice who scored a golazo free kick goal x2. The Champions League aura and Carlos's eyebrow did not work. What happened to 10x more. Arsenal was lucky Mbappe did not play
Declan Rice’s sublime free-kick sent the Emirates into a frenzy, with the 28-year-old producing an unforgettable moment for the Arsenal fans who rallied behind them.
The Arsenal midfielder assumed responsibility and executed with confidence, beating Thibaut Courtois from 30 yards for the opening goal of the game.
When the Gunners were awarded a free-kick in a similar position 12 minutes later, there was only one person they were turning to. Declan Rice took the ball once again, took a few steps back and gave Courtois no chance with another inch-perfect set-piece into the top right corner.
The 28-year-old now has four goals in 11 matches against Los Blancos, having scored three for Real Sociedad during his time in Spain.
Mikel Arteta’s side will now travel to Spain with a healthy three-goal advantage to defend, placing themselves in good stead to qualify for the semi-final of Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
Before the two sides meet again at the Bernabeu, Arsenal welcome Brentford in the late kick-off on Saturday, hoping to continue their chase on league-leaders Liverpool. Real Madrid travel up north to face relegation contenders Deportivo Alavés on Sunday.
Story of the game:
Having rested some key players in the 1-1 draw against Everton, it was no surprise that Mikel Arteta elected for four changes. Martin Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli were brought back in, while Bukayo Saka was handed his first start in 108 days, having been on the bench for the last two games.
Carlo Ancelotti made five switches to the side that lost in injury time to Valencia at the weekend. Thibaut Courtois returned from an injury sustained on international duty with Belgium, replacing 19-year-old Fran Gonzalez. Raul Asencio and David Alaba slotted into defence, while Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo were preferred to Fran Garcia and Brahim Diaz.
From the start, Real Madrid’s star-studded attack were showing their quality. Kylian Mbappe had an optimistic long-range shot saved by David Raya. However, it was the visitors’ defence that were first to be properly tested, with Saka’s inviting delivery deflecting off both Asencio and Antonio Rudiger for a corner kick.
Courtois had expressed his fear of the Gunners’ abilities from set pieces and was examined on his preparation with two inch-perfect crosses from Saka, but both were cleared frantically by the Belgian showstopper..
The hosts continued to exert pressure on the reining champions; Gabriel Martinelli found Mikel Merino inside the box, who laid it off to Partey on the edge of the area, but his effort was stopped by Courtois.
Despite the pressure, Real Madrid were managing to find opportunities on the break. Vinicius Jr came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock, cutting inside from the left and teasing a shot just wide of the target.
The ideal chance fell for Mbappe after Jude Bellingham dispossessed Timber and played the Frenchman through on goal, however, his effort was denied by an outstretched Raya.
Arsenal’s need for a centre-forward started to show when Saka delivered another enticing low-drilled cross into the box, but there were no red shirts in a position to direct the ball on target.
The same action repeated itself moments later. Saka darted through on the right and fired the ball into the area, but still there was no forward to complete the action.
Courtois pulled off an incredible double save to deny the hosts from taking the lead on the brink of the interval. Timber’s cross was met by the head of Mikel Merino, but the former Chelsea goalkeeper produced an excellent one-handed save to deny the Spaniard. The follow-up from Martinelli was destined for the back of the net, but the 32-year-old also managed to get both hands to it.
The Gunners were first to emerge from the dressing rooms for the second half, but a quick exchange between Mbappe and Bellingham should’ve resulted in the opener for the visitors. The England international found Mbappe in behind the defence, yet he fired the ball into the side-netting.
However, Arsenal were able to finally break the deadlock with an act of individual brilliance by Declan Rice. The England international stepped up to take a free-kick from distance, striking the ball with perfection into the back of the net.
Mikel Arteta’s side were extremely unfortunate not to double their advantage only minutes later. Martinelli’s shot across goal was parried into danger by Courtois and Merino’s follow-up was saved on the line by David Alaba.
But it was Rice, again, in a similar position doubling the Gunners’ advantage. The Englishman repeated his movements and managed to bend the ball around the wall and past Courtois with ease.
If things couldn’t get worse for the reigning champions, Mikel Merino joined in the action with a sensational strike. Myles Lewis-Skelly played the ball into the Spaniard and he took it first-time, expertly drilling the ball into the bottom left corner.
A series of changes weren’t enough for Real Madrid to grow back into the game and Arsenal were able to comfortably defend their lead.
Eduardo Camavinga was shown his marching orders in injury time after daftly kicking the ball out of play in frustration with a refereeing decision.
Arsenal will now take a crucial three-goal advantage to the Spanish capital with them next Wednesday.