Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is confident his team can take a big step toward their Champions League dream by beating Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
The Gunners have never won the prestigious European title and haven’t reached the semi-finals in over 15 years. But this season, they’re aiming to make history. A victory against Real Madrid in the first leg would be a strong start toward that goal, and Arteta believes his team is ready for the challenge.
Arsenal will host the Spanish giants at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, with the match kicking off at 1 AM Bangladesh time.
Historically, Arsenal’s record in the Champions League is modest. They’ve only reached the final once—in the 2005–06 season—and the semi-finals in 2008–09. Last season, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich.
Their opponents, Real Madrid, are the most successful club in the competition’s history, having won the title a record 15 times. Since Arsenal’s last semi-final appearance in 2009, Real have lifted the trophy six times.
But Arteta wants to look ahead—not back. He’s determined to write a new chapter in Arsenal’s European story.
“They’re a club (Real Madrid) that has set new standards in world football. That’s where we want to be, where we want to stay. It’s part of their history. We have to write our own. We need to focus on ourselves. They can hurt us, but we can do the same to them.”
“We’re hopeful of getting a result, of winning the game. We have to believe we can do it. We just need to enjoy the battle. It’s only the first leg, and our objective for tomorrow is clear. We’re going out there to win.”
The second leg will be played at Santiago Bernabéu on April 16.
