How should Arsenal approach the 2nd leg against Real Madrid?

Just Arsenal News

·15 de abril de 2025

How should Arsenal approach the 2nd leg against Real Madrid?

As I mentioned earlier, there wasn’t a realistic scenario in which Arsenal could achieve a result in the first leg that would allow us to travel to the Spanish capital with complete confidence of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

Yet, that is precisely what nearly happened.

Vídeos OneFootball

Of course, the Gunners are now favourites to progress to the next round, but if the opposition were anyone else, I would be less nervous defending a 3-0 lead. This nervousness stems from two factors.

As Gooners, we have been let down countless times before, and we now have a reputation for mentally crumbling when the pressure intensifies. It would be very typical of us to falter on Wednesday.

Most importantly, my nerves are rooted in my respect for Real Madrid. This is European royalty, a club whose entire history is based on finding a way to win knockout football in Europe. While they have never overturned such a large deficit, it is in their DNA to never give up, dig deep, and survive.

That is why thousands of Madridistas will flock to the Bernabéu. Although they are not pleased with their situation, they will fully expect at least a valiant attempt at a comeback. Where other fanbases might give up hope, supporting Los Blancos means adopting a different mindset. In this competition, they have been taught that you don’t accept elimination until it’s mathematically confirmed.

That mentality is ingrained in every manager and player the moment they step through the door. This is not the first time Carlo Ancelotti has faced pressure to keep his job by winning this trophy. Players like Modric, Carvajal, Courtois, and others have countless stories of how toxic the local media and supporters have been, yet the squad’s resilience has swiftly changed the narrative.

(Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Bellingham will recall this time last year, being outplayed at the Etihad but emerging victorious on penalties. V. Junior can tap into memories of being moments away from elimination, only for his team to score twice in three minutes against Bayern Munich.

This has always been Real’s significant advantage in this tie. They have a group of players who frequently perform on this stage and know how to navigate routes to finals, meaning they won’t panic.

Most of our players arriving in Madrid have never been beyond this stage. Some Gooners are more confident than others that the job is done at the Emirates, and ultimately, they should be proven correct. However, a few may be in for a shock at how quickly momentum can shift.

Even if we wake up on Thursday planning for PSG or Aston Villa, some of my peers might find themselves surprised by how uncomfortable the second leg becomes.

An early goal for the home side will change the atmosphere in their stadium. Even if it remains goalless after 70 minutes, the psychology shifts if they suddenly break the deadlock.

This is where our manager earns his money. Not only does he need to discuss potential scenarios and how to react with his players in training, but he must also observe body language and tones of voice. It is his responsibility to ensure that no one boarding that plane is complacent or carrying the wrong attitude—those players should not be starting in Spain.

Mikel Arteta is the third-highest-paid coach in the world, and this is where he justifies that position. He must find the balance between using last week’s result as evidence that we can approach the occasion without fear, while also being cautious not to assume the hard work has been done.

While our manager won’t admit it, he’s not shy about using the darker arts of the sport. We’ve seen him instruct the goalkeeper to take his time at goal kicks, players to stay down, and throw-ins used for time-wasting.

That could well be the tactic, but I would prefer the Spaniard to think like this: If we can score, our hosts would then need to score four times just to force extra time!

Predictions peeps ?

Dan Smith

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