please log in to view this image Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Date: Wednesday 16th April 2025 KO time: 20:00 BST Overall Record Wins: 2 Losses: 0 Draws: 1 Last six meetings Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Mbappe's challenge in the Alaves game today was a genuine disgrace. He should get more than a 3-match ban for that. Horrific attempt at a challenge. It's a shame that red card bans don't extend into European competitions, but I'm hoping he doesn't do anything like that against one of our players on Wednesday...
This team is good enough to get through over two legs against Real Madrid. Despite all the nonsense their media and players have been saying, we just need to focus on the game and not the occasion. As good as Real Madrid are, they have not been amazing this season and they don't win the CL every single year (even if it feels like it). It would be a huge embarrassment to not go through from this point, but stranger things have happened. Let's hope the boys get the job done tonight!
VAR gives us a penalty (maybe slightly fortunate to get it). Saka takes it and tried to be too clever - an unusual technique from him because he doesn't normally do that. Courtois saved it. He should have just smashed it. That's annoying. Going 4-0 up on aggregate would have been tie over IMO. That penalty save will give them life and give them a new wave of belief.
20 mins gone, but despite how open the game has been, I am impressed with how brave we've been and how we've not been afraid to get at them and go for goals. We've had quite a few chances in the opening 20 mins, so it's good that we're not letting the hostility and the media pressure get to us.
Penalty for Real Madrid... I think it's soft, but Rice shouldn't have had his arms around Mbappe. Why take that risk in a game like this? EDIT: They've asked the referee to check the screen. Hoping they overturn it. This could go either way... Ok, they've overturned it. That was a LONG check.
Why did Odegaard not shoot there?! He should have just taken a shot on, rather than trying to play an intricate pass. You need to make those moments count!
We've played so well in parts, but we've also been naive with some of the challenges we've been making and our sloppiness. Need to remain composed and play the game at our pace.
Odegaard again, in a promising position, and losing the ball. He's showed minimal technical security and ball retention in this game. Needs to really step it up.
Kiwior's been brilliant it has to be said. He's been brilliant in this half so far and was superb in the first leg, too. 7 minutes of additional time until HT...and there's still another half to go after... God, this game is ageing me by like 10 years.
Odegaard has an excellent chance to play Merino in 1 on 1 and he fluffs his lines . This guy, he's been absolutely horrendous tonight. Terrible performance.
Martinelli and Odegaard are getting in so many promising positions, yet they have absolutely no conviction or killer instinct when it matters. We could have killed this tie off so easily and we're not taking advantage of Real's deficiencies.
HT. 0-0. Very tense game (understandably so), but we've been disciplined and very well organised defensively. The defence and midfield have done a top job from a defensive standpoint, but the attack has seriously been lacking. Martinelli and Odegaard (especially the latter) have been extremely disappointing. Merino is the only one who has been useful in terms of winning fouls, holding the ball up, being combative in the air and generally being a focal point. Both penalties weren't penalties for me, and whilst you can argue justice was served for Saka's penalty being saved, if you're gifted a chance like that, you simply need to take it. It was very poor for him to try a panenka against a 6'7 goalkeeper who is one of the best in the world. Raya being booked for time wasting in the 36th minute was annoying, but oh well. Professional job so far. Big, big 45 minutes left to see this out...
Bellingham's an excellent player, but he's got away with some seriously stroppy fouls over both games. Not sure how he's not been booked yet.
30 mins to go. It's been a superb tactical display thus far, but we know Madrid have individual moments of quality that can come alive very late in the game. If we get to the 75th minute and the score is still level, then I'll be confident we progress, but until then, I'm still nervy lol.
Saliba That's such an uncharacteristic and unprofessional mistake. He'd had such a stellar game before that point too. Vini Jr equalises.
