LONDON — All of Arsenal’s focus for this season is on the Champions League and they’ve been building towards this moment since Mikel Arteta took charge in December 2019.
And long before that.
MORE — Real Madrid vs Arsenal predicted lineups, team news, tactics
With their Premier League title hopes for this season all but over, for the last few weeks all of the focus has switched to the Champions League with their quarterfinal second leg at Real Madrid on Wednesday a huge moment in Arteta’s project.
MORE — Real Madrid vs Arsenal preview + live analysis
Leading 3-0 from a pulsating first leg in north London, the feel-good factor at Arsenal is there. The streets in the red half of north London are buzzing with excitement. Could this be the year Arsenal finally became European champs?
They have one foot in the semifinals against either PSG or Aston Villa and they would be favored to beat either to reach the final in Munich. Don’t wince Arsenal fans. This is the reality of the situation you’re in. You’re a couple of wins from the holy grail.
How tough will second leg at Real Madrid be?
Asked how difficult it would be for Arsenal to close it out at Real Madrid, midfielder Thomas Partey was reminded of his experience playing against them for Atletico Madrid.
“It is very difficult. It is not going to be easy. We know how good they are and the quality they have up front. We have to be confident and play our game and try to win,” Partey told reporters after the draw against Brentford on Saturday.
At the heart of everything good Arsenal did in their stunning first leg win at the Emirates as he dominated midfield, Partey was asked if the Santiago Bernabeu be intimidating for this young Arsenal side, many of whom have never experienced anything like this in the Champions League before.
“Every stadium is intimidating when you are not at your best. We have to go there with confidence, stay in our game and we know what we have to do. We are going to get prepared and then try to win,” Partey added.
How will Arsenal approach the game?
3-0 up from the first leg, do Arsenal go for it or do they sit back and look to pick off Real Madrid on the counter like they’ve done in big games against Manchester City in recent seasons?
Do they deviate from their own playing style which has got them this far? Or do they just play it like any other game? In a strange way is having a 3-0 lead a tricky way to approach a game?
“I don’t think it’s tricky,” Partey said.” If we are confident with our game and we play our game we’ve played the whole season I think it’s not going to be something different. We just have to be confident to get the ball from them, keep the ball and try to attack.”
From winning the FA Cup in 2020 to getting back into the Champions League, to the second place Premier League finishes amid legit title battles in recent seasons, Arsenal’s entire journey under Arteta has been leading to this moment, this game away at reigning European champs Real Madrid to secure a spot in the Champions League semifinals. At least.
How big of a moment is this in Arsenal’s project under Arteta?
“I think it is a beautiful moment and a moment that every player wants to be part of,” Partey said. “I’m really happy to be part of it and really happy to be in the team and also help the team. I think with this confidence every player has the same confidence. We are going to go there with that confidence.”
With Arsenal winning just two of their last seven games in the Premier League heading into the second leg in Madrid, it’s clear they’ve prioritized the Champions League for some time with Arteta rotating his squad and resting key players for league games.
Asked if he was concerned their indifferent league form could impact them in Europe, Partey doubled down and said when Arsenal are playing at their best in any competition they are the best team on planet.
“I think with all the circumstances that we face in terms of our games and then we are still at that level, I am really happy with the team. Any time we play our game we are the best in the world,” Partey added, confidently.
That confidence is exactly what Arsenal need to close it out against Real Madrid, then go all the way and win the Champions League.
Arsenal are of course taking it one step at a time but after mauling Real last week they have a swagger and confidence that they are more than ready to win the Champions League.
If you had said that when Arteta first took over in late 2019 most would have laughed. There’s still plenty of work to do, especially at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, but for this Arsenal team their date with destiny has arrived.
