Martin Odegaard only intent on making Arsenal history on Real Madrid return | OneFootball

No revenge mission as Gunners captain seeks to change narrative after difficult season

Back at the Bernabeu, it would be easy to view Wednesday night as a revenge mission for Martin Odegaard. But the Arsenal captain is more interested in making history for the Gunners.

When Odegaard left Real Madrid for Arsenal for around £30million in 2021, he hit out at the Spanish press.

Life at the world’s biggest club had not been easy for the Norwegian, who had to cope with the intense spotlight after joining Real Madrid aged 16.

After a difficult spell at Real Madrid, Odegaard has established himself as one of the best midfielder in Europe at Arsenal

AFP via Getty Images

The main motivator for Odegaard leaving was that he wanted to play and settle at a club after four loan spells in as many years.

The connection he built with Arsenal during a six-month loan spell convinced him that was the place to go.

Mikel Arteta had pitched the move to him over a Zoom call and then that summer the Arsenal manager had patiently waited until August to sign Odegaard, hoping Madrid’s stance that the Norwegian was not for sale would soften. Arteta was right and Arsenal got their man.

Odegaard has been vindicated by the move and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti agrees he was right to leave.

“He left the club for new experiences and is one of the best midfielders right now in Europe,” Ancelotti said last week.

It was under Ancelotti that Odegaard joined Real Madrid when he was 16, but he failed to break into the team.

Ancelotti has pointed to the fact there was so much talent ahead of Odegaard, however the situation was not helped by him training with the first team but playing for Real Madrid’s B Team.

Odegaard in training with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Real Madrid

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Odegaard was basically in limbo, flicking between the two squads, and it made it difficult for him to settle.

But he has no ill feeling towards Madrid and the thought of revenge is not on his mind as he returns to the Bernabeu.

Odegaard still speaks to some people at the club and there is no animosity about his time there, not least because it was part of the journey that led him to Arsenal.

Now 26, Odegaard returns to the Bernabeu with the chance to make history the biggest thought in his mind.

Arsenal have not reached the semi-finals of the Champions League since 2009, while they have never won the competition.

Being the first Arsenal captain to lift the trophy is a dream for Odegaard and Wednesday represents a chance for him to turn around what has been a difficult season.

An ankle injury at the start of September rocked him and forced him to be out for three months.

Odegaard has since suffered from other attackers being out, namely his partner in crime Bukayo Saka, and his form has duly dipped.

No one knows that more than Odegaard, who is his own biggest critic and it is why he is determined to make an impact during what is now the biggest part of the season.

There is no better stage for him to do that than at the Bernabeu.