All Or Nothing: Arsenal’s Season Fate Rests On Real Madrid’s Second Leg

‎Arsenal will take on Real Madrid on Wednesday, already having one foot in the Champions League semi-finals.

‎However, the team faces the added pressure of knowing that their entire season depends on the outcome at the Bernabeu.

‎Mikel Arteta’s squad dominated the defending champions last week, winning 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final in London, making them favorites to advance to the last four of Europe’s premier club competition for just the third time.

‎However, all their hopes now rest on this match as they aim to end their trophy drought, with Premier League leaders Liverpool now far ahead.

‎Arsenal, who have never been crowned European champions, have become used to battling for the English league title – narrowly losing out to Manchester City in the past two seasons.

‎This year it has been their misfortune to be competing against a Liverpool team that flew out of the blocks in Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield.

‎Arsenal have had chances to put the pressure on the runaway leaders, but 12 draws in the Premier League and just two wins in their past seven games have cost them.

‎Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home against mid-table Brentford left the Gunners 13 points adrift of Liverpool, who could secure a record-equalling 20th English league title as soon as next weekend.

‎Arteta denied that his players had been distracted by their upcoming match in Spain but his team selection showed where his priorities lie in the final weeks of the season.

‎The Spaniard made five changes to the side that beat Madrid, with winger Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard left out of the starting line-up.

‎Afterward, he turned his attention to Real Madrid.

‎”We still have six games to play in the Premier League, which are going to be really important, for sure,” he said. “But, for now, it’s all about Wednesday.”

‎Arsenal will head to Madrid in good spirits, but considering the 15-time European champions often defy expectations in the tournament, Arteta won’t be able to relax until the final whistle.

‎Even if the Gunners do advance, they will face tough competition, as both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are make it through to the semi-finals as well.

‎No Room for Error

‎Arsenal’s high-wire act means they risk ending the season without major silverware for a fifth straight season despite the undoubted progress made under Arteta.

‎The Gunners’ grip on second place in the Premier League is far from secure. They are six points ahead of a struggling Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle, currently in fourth place, sits seven points behind but has a game in hand and is in excellent form.

‎Arteta said after the Brentford draw that the club were disappointed to find themselves so far adrift of Liverpool.

‎”It is difficult because obviously there are a lot of reasons why we are with that distance (to Liverpool in the Premier League) and the number of things that we have to deal with and still we are where we but yeah, we want to be higher, that’s for sure,” he said.

‎Despite their stumbles, Arsenal are almost certain to secure one of the five qualification places for next season’s Champions League.

‎Dropping below second place would hurt the Gunners’ pride and challenge the perception that they are consistently progressing toward their first Premier League title since 2004.

‎While Arteta is already beginning to strategize for strengthening the squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, he still has the remainder of this season to focus on.

‎The Gunners could make club history in Europe in the next few weeks but if they fall short, the season could end with a whimper.