Champions League
2025-04-08 - Arsenal vs Real Madrid
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg
Tuesday 8th April 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
More dropped points in the Premier League on Saturday meant failure to capitalise on Liverpool's slips and Arsenal's disappointing title challenge is falling away dramatically. If the team selection at Goodison Park is anything to go by, the Champions League has become the priority for Mikel Arteta, even if Arsenal have been paired by the long-time Kings of this competition.
A thumping win in Eindhoven helped Arsenal make easy passage through the Last 16 of the Champions League with the eventual 9-2 aggregate score underlining the comfort of the progress made. They have lost just once in 10 Champions League games played this season, while Arsenal are unbeaten in all 10 at home since returning to the competition at the beginning of last season.
Arsenal drew 1-1 at Goodison Park to extend their unbeaten run to 7 games in all competitions, although more than half have ended in stalemate. After losing 0-1 to West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in February, Arsenal have drawn with PSV Eindhoven and followed up with consecutive home wins over Chelsea and Fulham.
Gabriel has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, while Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt. The likes of Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be hoping for starts.
Real Madrid
Much like their opponent, Real Madrid dropped key points in the domestic title race this weekend, but this is a club that have long considered success or failure of a season based on how well they perform in the Champions League. Not only have Real Madrid reached the Semi Final in this competition in four straight seasons, but half have ended with the trophy being lifted.
Carlo Ancelotti knows how to get the best out of his team in the Knock Out Rounds of the Champions League and Real Madrid have seen off two of their main rivals already this season in Manchester City and Atletico Madrid. Once again Penalties were key in beating their City rivals, although Real Madrid were beaten in the away Leg and have lost half of their 6 away Champions League games played this season.
Real Madrid conceded very late in their 1-2 defeat to Valencia this past weekend and they have won 2 of their last 5 games in all competitions, while suffering two losses in that time. The side had lost back to back away games at Real Betis and Atletico Madrid before Real Madrid came from behind to beat Villarreal 1-2.
Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin are doubts, which could mean Real Madrid have to play a third choice goalkeeper here. Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos are other players that may miss out.
Head to Head
These two clubs have only met once before in a competitive tie and that was in the Knock Out Rounds of the 2005/06 Champions League.
It was Arsenal's 0-1 win in the First Leg in Spain that proved to be the decisive result as The Gunners then progressed all the way to the Final before losing to Barcelona.
The Arsenal home game against Real Madrid ended goalless that year.
Prediction
Both of these teams are just slumping in domestic title races with not enough wins being produced over the last several weeks.
Real Madrid will still feel they have a chance of closing on Barcelona, but Arsenal's spirits look much lower having almost been comfortable dropping more points at Goodison Park.
With that in mind, the Champions League has become a major priority and this is a huge Quarter Final- the winner may feel they will be favourites to reach the Final in Munich, but Mikel Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti will only be thinking about the two upcoming ties.
It is Arsenal hosting in the First Leg and it is not a massive surprise that they are set as the favourites, despite the inconsistency of recent form. There is still a lack of bite in the final third, especially as Bukayo Saka is being brought up to speed following a long layoff, and Arsenal look more vulnerable at the back now that Gabriel has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta's team will have to try and push forward to have some kind of lead to protect in Spain next week as Arsenal look to reach a first Champions League Semi Final since 2009. They may still feel dangerous at the Santiago Bernebeu, but this First Leg feels as important as the one with Bayern Munich was twelve months ago.
Back then Arsenal were unable to really contain one of the European superpowers and you do have to wonder if they have enough to keep the quality Real Madrid attackers quiet.
Carlo Ancelotti may be under pressure as manager of Real Madrid again, but his personal record in this competition is so very strong. Add that to the aura Real Madrid have built up again when the Champions League theme is played and you have to lean towards the away team finding a way to take a positive result back to the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid have not exactly been the best travellers in the Champions League this season with 3 defeats in 6 away games played, but they have won the other half of those in that run. When they have clicked, they have clicked very well and the feeling is that even a single strike might be enough to avoid defeat against this current Arsenal team.
You cannot ignore the issues Arsenal have had in the final third since the injuries have piled up and it may be asking too much from Bukayo Saka to be ready to play even close to his best after such a long spell out. Gabriel Martinelli can help and set pieces are going to be important, but Arsenal's lack of investment in January may come to haunt them again over the next eight days.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 1-1 Real Madrid
