Arsenal vs Real Madrid - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

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·7 aprile 2025

Arsenal vs Real Madrid - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

Arsenal have lost just one of their last 13 home matches against Spanish opposition. Real Madrid have won only five of their last 13 visits to England.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid Preview

These two clubs have only ever met once before, with Arsenal prevailing 1-0 on aggregate 19 years ago, en route to their one and, so far, only Champions League Final. A repeat of both of those would require a major upset.

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Arsenal have only ever gone further than this in the Champions League twice in their entire history, doing so in 2006 and 2009, dumped out by Bayern Munich in the quarters 12 months ago. This season, the Gunners impressively finished third in the league phase before hammering PSV Eindhoven 9-3 in the round of 16, notably claiming an historic 7-1 victory in the Netherlands.

Meantime, Mikel Arteta's team appear set to finish second in the Premier League for a third successive season, 11 points adrift leaders Liverpool with only seven games remaining. Saturday's 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison means they've won only two of their last six league outings. Thus, the Champions League is now Arsenal's only hope of silverware, but they're going to have to claim one of the most famous victories of their European history to keep that particular dream alive.

Real Madrid meanwhile are, of course, the record 15-times winners of this tournament as well as the current holders; last season's win at Wembley means they've remarkably won the Champions League in six of the last 11 seasons. This year though, Carlo Ancelotti's team actually lost three times in the league phase, thereby finishing 11th, before swatting aside Manchester City 6-3 in the play-off round.

This set up a fiery el Derbi Madrileño in the round of 16, beating fierce rivals Atlético Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabéu, before a 1-0 defeat at the Metropolitano, meaning a penalty shootout was required. Controversially, Julián Álvarez's spot-kick was disallowed by VAR due to a double-touch meaning, by the time Antonio Rüdiger lashed home, los Blancos had done enough to get through. They always seem to find a way don't they?

Well, to give hope to Gooners everywhere, los Merengues have endured a pretty rough week, ahead of this trip to North London. Seven nights ago, Real Madrid, only just, reached the Copa del Rey Final, needing extra time to oust Real Sociedad 5-4 on aggregate, after la Real scored four times at the Bernabéu. Then, on Saturday, los Blancos' La Liga title hopes suffered a major set back, beaten 2-1 by Valencia at home, the winner coming in the 96th minute, leaving them four points adrift leaders Barcelona. This Real side are not unbeatable but, with a second leg in the Spanish capital to come, Arsenal will feel this tie is must win to give themselves any chance of progression.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played: 2.

Arsenal Team News

Arsenal suffered another major injury blow against Fulham last Tuesday, with key centre-back Gabriel suffering a season-ending hamstring injury. The Brazilian joins Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, while Raheem Sterling is suspended.

In better news, Benjamin White started on Saturday, doing so for just the second time since surgery in November, while Jurriën Timber is also fine following an injury scare. So, Mikel Arteta has a decision to make; does Jakub Kiwior deputise at left-centre-back, or does White get the nod?

Further forward, Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and, most-notably, Bukayo Saka are set to return to the lineup. The Gunners talisman saw 25 minutes of action a week ago, before being introduced at half time on Merseyside, now poised to start for the first time since 21 December.

Through the middle, will Mikel Merino continue to be deployed as the makeshift number nine, or could Saturday's scorer Leandro Trossard get the nod? Lastly, Declan Rice, Timber and Martinelli all have to be extremely careful, because they would sit out the second leg if cautioned by referee Irfan Peljto.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Real Madrid: (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Ødegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Merino.

Arsenal Player to Watch vs Real Madrid

All eyes will be on the returning hero Bukayo Saka, who scored just six minutes into his return last Tuesday, so can he add to his eight Champions League goals, having made only 14 appearances in the competition so far?

Real Madrid Team News

Like their hosts, Carlo Ancelotti's squad is depleted. Éder Militão, Daniel Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and former Gunner Dani Ceballos are all injured, while Aurélien Tchouaméni is suspended.

In goal, 19-year-old Fran González made his senior debut on Saturday, after Andriy Lunin suffered a muscle injury in the Copa del Rey tie. Usual number one Thibaut Courtois meantime picked up a calf injury on international duty, but will start here, even though he's unlikely to be fully fit.

With four key defensive options unavailable, Fede Valverde is likely to fill-in at right-back, with Raúl Asencio, who only made his debut in November, in the middle, and David Alaba, potentially, chosen over Fran García on the left.

Having said all of that, los Blancos boast some pretty decent attacking players, with Rodrygo set to return, alongside Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé; this trio have scored 64 goals between them this season. Luka Modrić, Lucas Vázquez, Antonio Rüdiger, Endrick, Eduardo Camavinga and Vini Jr are all one caution away from sitting out the return leg.

Real Madrid Player to Watch vs Arsenal

Kylian Mbappé has now scored 32 goals, and counting, in his first season at Real Madrid, which certainly isn't bad. In the Champions League, the Frenchman has 55 goals to his name, only seven men have more, these coming again 23 different opponents, seeking to add Arsenal to this list.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid Prediction

Those tuning in for Tuesday's heavyweight blockbuster should do so expecting goals, but we are backing Arsenal to establish a slender advantage to take to the Bernabéu: Arsenal 2-1 Real Madrid.