Tuesday night was a magical one in the history of the Arsenal football club.
The Gunners hammered Real Madrid 3-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg tie with the North London club putting themselves in a great position to advance to the semi-finals of the competition.
A stunning Declan Rice free-kick double stole the headlines on the night and with Arsenal 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League, the Champions League will very likely be Mikel Arteta’s main focus between now and the end of the season.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool |
31 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 72 | 30 | 42 | 73 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal |
31 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 56 | 26 | 30 | 62 |
| 3 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest |
31 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 51 | 37 | 14 | 57 |
Vinicius Junor has sent Arsenal a warning ahead of next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu, but that is very unlikely to have an effect on the Gunners.
What will have an impact is the update Arteta has provided Arsenal fans during his Friday press conference, which could be the difference in his team winning the Champions League or not.
Kai Havertz set for Arsenal return
Arsenal’s Premier League campaign was derailed by the injuries they suffered to their forward line with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz all out at one point in the season.
This period saw the North London outfit drop several points but with the Champions League still to play for the Gunners have been given some major boosts.
Speaking to the press on Friday, Arteta confirmed that Havertz could return before the end of the season and that Saka and Rice have no injury issues following scares against Real Madrid.
“Hopefully, we can have Kai Havertz back before the end of the season,” Arteta said. “Declan Rice and Saka are fit, no issues or injuries. It’s all good.”
The Spanish coach would also provide an update on Riccardo Calafiori, with the Arsenal boss stating that the Italian star is progressing well with his knee issue.
“Riccardo Calafiori is progressing really well,” Arteta said via Fabrizio Romano. “At the moment, giving a timeline is difficult. He is in a good place.”
These fitness updates are major for Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Champions League this season as by the time the semi-finals come around, the North London club could have their best 11 available for selection.
- READ MORE: What Gabriel said immediately to Declan Rice after stunning free-kicks against Real Madrid
Micah Richards left stunned by Myles Lewis-Skelly
Arsenal had some top performers against Real Madrid with Saka left impressed by Mikel Merino, while Thierry Henry was keen to praise Arteta.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast, Micah Richards wanted to highlight the performance of Myles Lewis-Skelly as the pundit was left stunned by the left-back.
“Forget Saka for a moment, Myles Lewis-Skelly,” Richards said. “He gets on the ball on a half turn in midfield, composed, drops his shoulder and plays a ball forward. He is aggressive and he can defend at 18 years of age. He is a superstar. He is an absolute superstar.”
Lewis-Skelly is having a breakthrough year at Arsenal, having made 29 appearances for the Gunners this season, and many are tipping the defender to be the solution to England’s long-term left-back issue.
At 18, the Arsenal star looks to be a top talent and although he is still very raw, the youngster could play a key role in the North London club winning their first Champions League crown in 2025.
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