Arsenal should have no fear of Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, as the Gunners can compete with “any team” left in Europe’s top tournament this season, according to ex-Gunners defender Nigel Winterburn.
Mikel Arteta‘s side cruised into the last eight of the competition thanks to a 9-3 aggregate annihilation of PSV Eindhoven, as Wednesday’s 2-2 second-leg draw succeeded a 7-1 slaughter in the Netherlands during their opening encounter.
Arsenal’s obliteration of PSV in the first leg came amid their prolonged scoring struggles in the Premier League, where they have netted just once in their last three games after drawing 1-1 with Manchester United on Sunday.
However, Real Madrid were also found wanting in attack during their last-16 second leg versus Atletico Madrid, who won 1-0 to take the tie to extra time and penalties, but the holders nevertheless advanced thanks to Julian Alvarez‘s spot kick being chalked off for a double touch.
As a result, if the Gunners can overload the box like they did at the Philips Stadion and also rediscover their set-piece threat, Winterburn – a three-time title winner in North London – can envisage his former team going toe-to-toe with Carlo Ancelotti‘s men, telling Sports Mole: “Arsenal will be underdogs.
Winterburn tells Arsenal how to match Real Madrid in Champions League quarters
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“Real Madrid boast so many attacking flair players, they will come at Arsenal, which can leave gaps at the back for Arsenal to exploit. With our good set pieces, we can be a big threat from these as well as in open play.
“Arsenal have world-class defenders, so they have no need to fear Madrid. Arsenal have the quality throughout the squad to compete well, and Mikel will have to set up a brilliant game plan.
“If Arsenal can attack like they did against PSV, getting players forward, then they can compete with any team left in the competition. We await to see whether Saka can return for either leg of the quarter-finals, but he will be a big boost to the team.
“The players can rise to the occasion, and it will be great to see Madrid come to Emirates and with the way the home crowd has been, Arsenal will have strong backing to take a first leg lead.”
Can Arsenal really compete with Real Madrid?
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It is always a safe bet to expect the unexpected in football, and Arsenal putting goals past PSV for fun after being stunted by West Ham United and Nottingham Forest was not on anyone’s bingo card for 2025.
In the Premier League, the absences of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are hitting Arsenal extremely hard, but they tend to face fewer defence-heavy opponents in Europe, especially in winner-takes-all knockout games.
Arsenal took full advantage of PSV’s atrocious defending as they overloaded the box every opportunity, but employing a similar tactic against Real Madrid could mean that the fearsome quartet of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior have a field day up front.
Then again, out of all the centre-back pairings in the world who could potentially go toe-to-toe with Mbappe, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are right up there, while the fearless Myles Lewis-Skelly will no doubt relish coming up against Rodrygo or Vinicius.
Saka’s prospective return for the quarter-finals should at least increase Arsenal’s set-piece threat too, as their dead-ball dominance has declined dramatically in recent weeks, and the Gunners’ memories of facing Real Madrid could hardly be fonder, having eliminated Los Blancos from the 2005-06 last 16 with a 1-0 aggregate win en route to the runners-up medal.
Arsenal host Real Madrid at the Emirates in the first leg of their quarter-final on April 8, before travelling to the Bernabeu for the return fixture eight days later, and Ancelotti’s side will also be missing the suspended Aurelien Tchouameni for their trip to North London.
Nigel Winterburn was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of William Hill.
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