Arsenal vs. Real Madrid bold Champions League predictions: Can Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. break down Gunners?

The quarterfinals of the Champions League are on the US And, with all due respect for the Grand Old Dukes in Bayern Munich and Inter, there is one matchup above everything that screams “draw of the round”. Arsenal and Real Madrid are only the second time in their history, 19 years after the second time of the Thierry Henry-inspired last 16 triumph for the Gunners.

On that occasion, the side of Arsene Wenger kept clean sheets at home and away to eliminate Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Company. They will have to do this time without Gabriel Magalhaes if they want to overcome the ruling European champions, who are themselves without Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Ceballos and Ferland Mendy for their journey to North Londs.

It certainly promises to be an intriguing collision, but where can it be won and lost? Let’s find out:

1. The defense of Arsenal holds at home

Just when it seemed as if Arsenal was gathering for a last push, a hammer blow on Tuesday evening picked up their season again. Bukayo Saka was back and just in time for a quarterfinals where they might be able to drive in Europe’s best defense and Nick a winner on the other side. The Vibes got 2006 adjacent, only this time Mikel Arteta was a line -up of legitimate defense -suder stars instead of the unbelievably excellent Mathieu Flamini in the left -wing back system that brought Arsene Wenger to the Champions League 19 years ago.

Then the Hamstringpest Gabriel struck. The anchor of the defense of Arsenal, for the season. Beyond is the man who would have enjoyed his run most with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, who could have protected the left side against the raids of Rodrygo and who perhaps just linked the winner from a corner. William Saliba be able to Be a more talented and important defender in the system, but it is Gabriel who is the leader of this backline, who rolls his colleague defenders on the rare occasion when needed, organizing the rear -guard. There is no one else who is so natural an authority figure, no wonder that since the beginning of last season he has only been omitted 11 times outside the start XI.

They will miss Gabriel and his qualities, but maybe not as much as they could have when it really seemed as if the air fell on Tuesday evening. Just after losing their number 6, Jurrien Timber took a painful blow to the knee. Ben White had to deal with a fresh flare on his knee surgery. There seemed to be a non-no-out chance that Thomas Partey will be back directly against Vinicius Junior. Yikes. Those fears defeated Mikel Arteta who confirmed on Monday afternoon that every player who had come through the draw in Everton – a group with wood and white – was available for Madrid’s visit.

Arsenal Star Defender Gabriel to miss the rest of the sea with injury: what do Gunners vs. Real Madrid?

James Benge

That means options. Timber and Saliba were able to shake over one position with white slot right in the back. He could even play as one of the middle back, while the simplest solution may be used to close Jakub Kiwior in the Gabriel-shaped hole. That is certainly a drop of individual quality, although it is possible that every shorth that Kiwior feels is tested by a Madrid side that does not really press.

Similarly, emphasizing the individual absence may be misunderstanding what makes Arsenal one of the best defenses in the world. Sander Berge placed it best after 90 mostly fruitless minutes in the 2-1 defeat of Fulham with the Emirates last week. “It is as if someone is upright in row 50 on remote control. They seem so compact and everyone always covers the room. It is difficult to find where they should be attacked and where they should be overloaded.” Gabriel may have been one of the most important organizing figures on the field, but the reality of looking at Arsenal without the ball is, as Berge noted, they don’t need anyone beside them to do that. They just know where to be. They are the product of hours on the training field, a fine company machine of the ball that can cope with one component that is missing, even one as critical as Gabriel.

2. Insert shines in flashes

It is not so clear whether that is true on the other hand. Part of the story of the draw will be whether the defensive superstars of Arsenal can hold the devastating attacking threat of Madrid. No less significant events will be on the other side of the field. Madrid looks vulnerable on their backline. No Dani Carvajal or Ferland Mendy means that it is a fusion of Fran Garcia, Lucas Vazquez, David Alaba and fairly critical midfielders to take on the fullback roles. The suspension of Aurelien Tchouameni and the injury of Dani Ceballos means that a few of those midfielders will be needed in their natural position.

Can Arsenal come to that backline? On the left, Gabriel Martinelli looks more on its own in recent competitions, but this really seems like a team that will rise and fall or Bukayo Saka can deliver a superstar output. That is what he undoubtedly did before his hamstring injury in December, 13 assists and nine goals in just 24 games. Of course the true characteristic of a superstar is often what their team looks like without them. In the 100 days that they played without Saka, Arsenal’s non-Penalty were expected that goals fell by 16 percent in all competitions. They went from a often devastating attack to a rare effective attack, although it should be noted that the drop felt all the deeper because Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli Saka followed the treatment room.

If Saka is back at his best, he could be an unanswered test for Garcia, and one that could overcome an Alaba that is not the excellent left side he once was. Will he be? Even he doesn’t seem to know the answer. Immediately asked if he feels ready to start on Tuesday evening, Saka grinned: “There is only one way to find out.” He added: “It was difficult for me, came out at a bad moment, but I am now just focused on the positive points and I could not ask to come back at a better time of the season than now.”

The bull shop for Arsenal is that Saka is the most valuable of raw materials in this phase of the season, a superstar of grade A that has not been in the ground in recent months. The reality is perhaps more prosaic, that a player with 69 minutes in his legs in 2025 can only do what he does best in flashes. Arsenal will have to ensure that they benefit at those moments.

3. The individuals of Madrid carry them through it

If they do that, they can shadows of what promises to be an attritional, nervous tie. If this goes the way the Gunners want, it should be a tight, somewhat cautious meeting in which they control the ownership game and slowly choose the weaknesses of the Madrid line. That can really work.

And yet it’s time for that old well -known line in this phase of a European season. It is Real Madrid. Things happen. Usually in a fairly dramatic way. Arsenal discovered their costs last year that the best of the best still has a few game-breaking attackers than they have. Nobody has more than Madrid. The reality is that if the side of Mikel Arteta, weakened attack and everything, the game plays their way, it will be one of the fine margins. It is on those margins that Madrid thrives.

Mbappe can lock the best defense in the game for 179 minutes. Some of the largest teams in Europe know only too well that he only needs a few seconds to make a draw. The same with Vinicius Junior. Rodrygo? Well, he is just an engine of pure story, forged in the heart of it somehow Madrid always wins the Champions League oven. There does not seem to be a more compelling explanation why it always happens, except that it always happens. It can happen very well.