Confirmed Arsenal team to face Real Madrid – Saka starts | OneFootball

Defending champions Real Madrid travel to north London to face Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg and this is the side Mikel Arteta has announced.

Arsenal team v Real Madrid

The Gunners, unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions, carry momentum from a commanding 9-3 aggregate victory over PSV Eindhoven in the last 16, while Madrid edged past city rivals Atlético Madrid via penalties after a tightly contested tie.

Arsenal’s European campaign has been marked by attacking fluency, scoring in six consecutive Champions League matches this season and remaining unbeaten at home in the competition (four wins, one draw). Their recent form includes three wins and three draws in their last six outings, with a tendency to dominate early phases – eight of their 14 goals in this period arrived before half-time. Defensive resilience has also been key, conceding just six goals in those six games.

Real Madrid, however, arrive with a mixed away record in Europe this term (three wins, three losses), though their pedigree in knockout ties remains formidable. The Spanish giants have navigated five consecutive quarter-final appearances against English clubs unscathed, a psychological edge they’ll hope to exploit. Recent domestic inconsistencies, including a La Liga defeat to Valencia, have raised questions about their defensive solidity, with 11 goals conceded in their last six matches.

Historically, this fixture carries rarity value – the clubs’ only previous competitive meetings came in the 2005/06 Champions League round of 16, where Arsenal prevailed 1-0 on aggregate. Their most recent encounter, a 2019 pre-season friendly, ended 2-2..

With Arsenal’s first-leg pedigree (unbeaten in seven European quarter-final openers) contrasting against Madrid’s knockout-stage nous, this encounter promises tactical intrigue. The Gunners’ high-pressing style and set-piece threat may test Madrid’s recent vulnerability to early goals, while the visitors’ counter-attacking quality could exploit any defensive gaps.

Let us know in the comments below what you think about the team Arteta has put out.