Mikel Arteta is confident Arsenal are “very capable” of overcoming Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, though he admits it will be “very difficult.” The Gunners secured their place in the last eight with a dominant 9-3 aggregate win over PSV, while Real Madrid narrowly edged past Atletico Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Despite Real’s rich European history, Arteta believes his side can rise to the challenge. “We’ve done it consistently, and now we want to make the next step. It’s going to be tough, but we are very capable,” said the Spaniard. Arsenal will host the first leg at the Emirates on April 8 before traveling to the Bernabeu on April 16.
Declan Rice and Oleksandr Zinchenko were on target in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against PSV, and the Ukrainian is eager for another shot at Real Madrid. Zinchenko, who faced Los Blancos during Manchester City’s heartbreaking 6-5 aggregate defeat in 2022, knows the challenge ahead. “You cannot relax until it’s done,” he warned.
The clash will also see Jude Bellingham line up for Real Madrid, adding further excitement to the tie. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who famously scored the winner against Real at the Bernabeu in 2006, urged the current squad to believe in their ability to cause an upset.
“If you go there thinking you can’t beat Real Madrid, you might as well not play,” said Henry. “You need to believe, even against a team with 15 Champions League titles while we have none.”
Arteta is proud of Arsenal’s back-to-back quarter-final appearances for the first time in 15 years and believes this experience will be vital. “We want to be competing with the best clubs in the world. We’ve shown we can do it, but now we have to go even further,” he added.
Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, will be favorites, but Arsenal’s recent resurgence under Arteta, along with the leadership of Rice and the creativity of Martin Ødegaard, gives the Gunners hope. “We need to be at our best for every minute of both games,” said Arteta.
With the tie set to reignite memories of Arsenal’s famous 2006 triumph, the Gunners are determined to prove they belong among Europe’s elite once again.