UCL: Arsenal prepare for Real Madrid fightback in quarter-final tie

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League is nearing its climax, with the quarter-finals underway and the semi-final match-ups beginning to take shape.

With Barcelona and PSG through to the semi-finals, all eyes are on tonight’s highly anticipated clash between defending champions Real Madrid and Arsenal at the Bernabéu.

Real Madrid will be relying on Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, and Vinícius Júnior to engineer a comeback after a 3–0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, but they will have to overcome Arsenal’s formidable defensive line.

The second quarter-final match between Inter Milan and Bayern München also promises to be thrilling, as both sides chase a spot in the semi-finals.

Inter currently lead 2–1 after winning the first leg in Munich. They remain unbeaten in 14 consecutive Champions League home games—the longest active streak in the competition—having recently ended Bayern’s 22-game home unbeaten run in Europe.

Inter are also 12 matches unbeaten across all competitions and are coming off a 3–1 league victory.

Meanwhile, when asked about his side’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham responded with a smile, “Remontada.”
Remontada—a Spanish word meaning “comeback”—is on everyone’s lips in Madrid.

“It’s a night made for Real Madrid. You can’t come into games like this thinking there’s going to be anything other than a comeback. There’s pressure, but that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?” Bellingham said.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti added, “We have all the resources we need to turn the tie around.”

Responding to the hype, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “We have to think about ourselves and what we can control on the pitch with the ball. We need to have the conviction that we can be better than them and win the game.”

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