Arsenal beat Actual Madrid 3-0 within the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on the Emirates (Glyn KIRK)
Arsenal face Actual Madrid on Wednesday with one foot already within the Champions League semi-finals however with the added stress of understanding their whole season hinges on the outcome on the Bernabeu.
Mikel Arteta’s males final week demolished the defending champions 3-0 within the first leg of their quarter-final in London and are favourites to achieve the final 4 of Europe’s high membership competitors for under the third time.
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However all their eggs at the moment are in a single basket as they search to finish their trophy drought, with leaders Liverpool virtually out of sight within the Premier League.
Arsenal, who’ve by no means been topped European champions, have turn out to be used to battling for the English league title — narrowly dropping out to Manchester Metropolis prior to now two seasons.
This 12 months it has been their misfortune to be competing in opposition to a Liverpool crew that flew out of the blocks in Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield.
Arsenal have had possibilities to place the stress on the runaway leaders however 12 attracts within the Premier League, and simply two wins of their previous seven video games, have value them.
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Saturday’s 1-1 draw at house to mid-table Brentford meant the Gunners completed the weekend 13 factors behind Liverpool, who might wrap up a record-equalling twentieth English league title as early as subsequent weekend.
Arteta denied that his gamers had been distracted by their upcoming match in Spain however his crew choice confirmed the place his priorities lie within the closing weeks of the season.
The Spaniard made 5 modifications to the facet that beat Madrid, with winger Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard overlooked of the beginning line-up.
Afterwards, he turned his attentions to Actual Madrid.
“We nonetheless have six video games to play within the Premier League, that are going to be actually essential, for positive,” he stated. “However, for now, it is all about Wednesday.”
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Arsenal will journey to Madrid in excessive spirits, despite the fact that the 15-time European champions usually defy logic within the competitors, that means Arteta won’t breathe simply till the ultimate whistle.
Even when the Gunners do make it by means of, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona — each massively spectacular — are additionally anticipated to progress to the semi-finals.
– Excessive-wire act –
Arsenal’s high-wire act means they danger ending the season with out main silverware for a fifth straight season regardless of the undoubted progress made beneath Arteta.
And the Gunners’ maintain on second place within the Premier League is on no account safe.
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They’re six factors above a faltering Nottingham Forest. Newcastle, in fourth spot, are seven factors behind however have a sport in hand and are in a wealthy vein of type.
Arteta stated after the Brentford draw that the membership had been upset to search out themselves to this point adrift of Liverpool.
“It’s troublesome as a result of clearly there are lots of the explanation why we’re with that distance (to Liverpool within the Premier League) and the quantity of issues that we’ve to cope with and nonetheless we’re the place we however yeah, we need to be larger, that is for positive,” he stated.
Regardless of their stumbles, Arsenal are virtually sure to safe one of many 5 qualification locations for subsequent season’s Champions League.
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However slipping beneath second would dent the Gunners’ satisfaction and problem the notion that they’re making relentless progress in the direction of their first Premier League title since 2004.
Arteta nonetheless has the remainder of this season to consider whilst he begins plotting the best way to strengthen for the 2025/26 marketing campaign.
The Gunners might make membership historical past in Europe within the subsequent few weeks but when they fall brief, the season might finish with a whimper.
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