Arsenal vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League team news, line-ups and latest updates

When Trent Alexander-Arnold was first considering a move to Real Madrid, which was some time ago now, a particular message was relayed. It was the same as that which Jude Bellingham received when given a tour of the Bernabeu by head of recruitment Juni Calafat. You can go to any other club and be a legend, sure. Being a legend at Madrid, however, is like nothing else in football.

Such comments are why the chief executive of a major rival once commented: “The arrogance is astounding.”

Madrid don’t care about such statements, though, since they don’t really care what anyone else thinks. “We are Madrid,” as the declarative statement from their senior executives and cigar-puffing wealthier fans goes. They feel above it all and radiate that. It is this attitude – this “aura”, as it’s so often described – that Arsenal are going to have to overcome more than anything else in this Champions League quarter-final.

Mikel Arteta believes tonight is the biggest night of his career but it’s just another Champions League quarter-final for Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who heaped praise on his Arsenal counterpart.

“He has taken this team to the top of Europe and he is doing a fantastic job and has built a complete team,” Ancelotti said.

“There are not many teams in Europe who are complete. There are lots of teams that do things well, but not many that do so many things as well as Arsenal do.

“They are near the top of the Premier League and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The team is stronger than in the past, and they will be stronger in the future so of course the job he has done has been fantastic.”

Real Madrid’s hopes of catching Barcelona in LaLiga were dealt a blow as they were beaten at home by Valencia days before facing Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Vinicius Jr missed a first-half penalty before Valencia stunned the Bernabeu deep into stoppage time as Hugo Duro’s header secured a 2-1 win for the visitors. Barcelona can extend their lead to six points with eight games to go if they beat Real Betis on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta has been using a lot of his little tricks to relay key messages at the Arsenal training ground this week, but there’s one that his staff have especially drilled in during training. That is to not make mistakes, especially in midfield.

This isn’t out of any fear or conservatism about the stakes of the game. It is specific to the opposition, and how they play. Real Madrid often win games where they look like they are on the ropes because they actively want you to have the ball, and then pounce in midfield any time you give it up. They’re of course fully confident they have the forwards to maximise that. Arteta has consequently been conscious of not making unnecessary errors, and also figuring out how to block those lethal transitions.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that his side have been preparing specifically to neutralise Arsenal’s set-piece threat ahead of their Champions League meeting this week.

The defending European champions visit the Emirates on Tuesday night for the first leg of their blockbuster quarter-final, 19 years after their one and only meeting in the competition.

“We have a lot of respect for Arsenal,” the Belgian international said. “I have a lot of friends who are Arsenal fans. I know they’ve been doing great in the Premier League. They’re a young team, a strong defence, on the counter and set pieces.

After the loss of Gabriel Magalhaes, Mikel Arteta will have to rejig his defence ahead of facing Real Madrid. And yet the logical deputy in Riccardo Calafiori – one of the finest defenders in Serie A last season, the breakout star of Italy’s Euro 2024 and, like the Brazilian, a natural left-sided centre-back – is also injured.

“We have alternatives,” said Arteta.

A difficult task for Arsenal when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday just got tougher.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti expects his first-choice goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, to be fit for their trip to the Emirates this week.

The Belgian international returned to training on Sunday after missing four of their last six games with a muscle injury, which he suffered during the international break. The 32-year-old travelled with the squad to north London and described the injury as as a “small problem”.

“I am fully fit and I feel good,” he said on Monday. “It was not a big issue so I could train in the gym, and I have been on the pitch for the last day so I feel fine and 100 per cent.”

Mikel Arteta said he is convinced Arsenal can beat Real Madrid and write their own story by winning the Champions League.

A fired-up Arteta declared the first leg of Arsenal’s quarter-final clash against the Spanish giants at the Emirates on Tuesday night as “100 per cent” the biggest of his career so far as he bids to steer his side to the first European Cup in the club’s history.

“It’s been 20 years since we had this type of game and for us, it’s a great opportunity to build our own story and this is what we’re here for,” Arteta said.

“The excitement around the club, the people, and the magnitude of this match. This is the stage we want to be at, and where Arsenal has to be consistently. We are very proud to be there, and now be very ready tomorrow to deliver.

“At 8pm tomorrow night, 11 players, 60,000 fans, I am really super convinced that we are ready to win and to beat them. That’s the mindset that I want.”

Bukayo Saka says he loves playing for Arsenal and revealed it is “pretty clear” that he wants to remain at the club in the future.

Saka signed his last contract at the Emirates in 2023 and has two more season remaining on his deal. But the 23-year-old think neither him nor the club are in a rush to open talks on extending his contract because he believes everyone can see he wants to stay.

“I want to win and I want to win wearing this badge, so I think it’s pretty clear,” Saka said ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.

“The fans know how much I love them and you saw when I came on [against Fulham], I think they love me back.

“It’s a good relationship and I’m really happy to be here and focus on winning here.

“You had to be in the stadium to really feel and understand the noise and energy they brought for me. I want to win here and that’s my focus now.”

Bukayo Saka is set to make his first Arsenal start in four months against Real Madrid after building up his minutes off the bench against Fulham and Everton

Saka scored on his Emirates return in the 2-1 win over Fulham last week and he said he is feeling refreshed after recovering from the biggest injury of his career so far.

“Mentally, it was really good for me,” Saka said. “Obviously it was tough initially when I found out the extent of my injury and that I was going to have surgery. But once that was done, and it was successful, I was just focused on coming back stronger.

“The past five years I have been playing game after game, and this was the first proper break that I have had and it was really good for me.

“I got to do a lot of things that I don’t normally do. But it is really nice to be back and I feel fresher mentally, for sure.”