Real Madrid vs Arsenal: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

There aren’t many instances where Real Madrid are facing a multi-goal deficit in a decisive stage of the UEFA Champions League, but that’s precisely the case ahead of Wednesday’s game against Arsenal at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

Los Merengues suffered a thumping 3-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, so they’ll need to deliver an epic performance to turn things around. They’ve done it in the past, but will they have enough in them against an Arsenal side that has had success in recent visits to this venue in the past?

Real Madrid Looking Forward to Another Epic Night

There’s no way to sugarcoat this: Real Madrid need to produce their absolute best performance of the season if they want to have a shot at getting past Arsenal following the 3-0 defeat of the first leg. Los Blancos enter this game fresh off a 1-0 win over Alavés in their most recent LaLiga match, but that was far from their best performance.

They can rely on their impressive home record to believe they can turn things around here. Real Madrid have lost just one of the 11 matches they’ve played at Santiago Bernabéu in the current calendar year (including extra time: W8, D2, L1). Plus, having game-changer players such as Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior will always be a plus. Los Merengues will need their star players to step up this Wednesday.

Real Madrid Injury & Suspension News

Andriy Lunin (undisclosed) and Ferland Mendy (hamstring) are uncertain to be available Wednesday, but neither is expected to be ready for this clash. Eduardo Camavinga is suspended, while Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are long-term absences due to knee injuries.

Arsenal to Complete Upset on Spanish Soil

Arsenal did most of their homework in the first leg of this tie, as two impressive goals from Declan Rice and a strike from Mikel Moreno gave the Gunners a 3-0 advantage on the aggregate score. The Gunners followed that result with a 1-1 draw against Brentford, but that result still pushed their undefeated streak to nine matches across all competitions (W4, D5).

The Gunners will have to deal with the intense pressure of Santiago Bernabéu, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Los Blancos break Arsenal’s depleted defensive line at some point. Arsenal must be at their best to hold on and protect their lead, and emulating what happened in their most recent visit to this venue would be a best-case scenario. The last time Arsenal played in the Bernabéu, they secured a 1-0 win in 2006, courtesy of a Thierry Henry goal.

Arsenal Injury & Suspension News

Arsenal already know they’ll be without Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring), Kai Havertz (hamstring), Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) out for the rest of the season. Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Ben White (undisclosed) are also out, while Thomas Partey (undisclosed) and Jorginho (ribs) are game-time calls. Out of this long list, however, the lone player with an outside chance of playing a big role is Partey.

Real Madrid vs Arsenal Prediction

Arsenal have a clear edge in the aggregate score thanks to their 3-0 lead in the first leg, but it’s unclear how they’ll approach this game at Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid will need to go all out on the attack and should score at least once, with Kylian Mbappé playing a key role in attack. Expect the Frenchman to find the back of the net on Wednesday, though it’s uncertain if he’ll lift Real Madrid toward a potentially epic qualification to the semifinals.

CryptoGamba tip: Kylian Mbappé to score anytime – 2.00 @Jackbit