Arteta has received plenty of warnings ahead of defining night as Arsenal boss

Arsenal take a 3-0 lead to the Bernabeu as they meet Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night

Mikel Arteta faces a defining night of his reign as Arsenal boss. It will come in the Champions League quarter-final second leg in the magnificent setting of the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

Go through and Arteta will go down as the manager who led Arsenal past the might of Real Madrid and to just three games from European glory. Go out and Arteta will be the manager that threw away a 3-0 first leg lead and suddenly questions will be asked about whether he can ever lead the club to the biggest trophies,

If you lose from 3-0 up, it is a body blow which managers struggle to recover from. History does not look favourably on such surrenders. Unai Emery lost his job as Paris Saint-Germain boss a year after blowing a 4-0 first leg win over Barcelona who won the return 6-1 in 2016/17. That remains the biggest turnaround in the competition’s history.

Former Barcelona boss Erneste Valverde suffered the same fate against Liverpool in 2018/19 after his team won the first leg 3-0 but lost the return 4-0 in one of Anfield’s greatest European nights. Everyone remembers the glory and the victory. But we soon cast aside the losers. Football is a brutal game and Arteta will be acutely aware of the dangers.

It is a fine line between success and failure. While it is ridiculous to suggest winning 3-0 was in some way worse than to triumph by 1-0 or 2-0, it does in some perverse way raise the stakes.

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Real Madrid have the ability to turn their stadium into an intimidating cauldron and, despite their woeful display at the Emirates, they still believe they can turn it around.

After Real Madrid won at Alaves on Sunday, Brazil superstar Vinicius Jr said on social media: “Already thinking about Wednesday! We’re ready and looking forward to it. We’ll wait for you at the Bernabeu and we’ll try everything. We are the Real! Hala Madrid.”

There is no way this tie is over. Arsenal produced their greatest night at the Emirates by overwhelming the 15-time European champions. Declan Rice scored two sensational free kicks, Arsenal completed a brilliant win and it kept their season very much alive.

Arsenal have had a frustrating season in the Premier League through injuries, too many draws and, in their eyes, bad refereeing decisions. They were supposed to be the team ready to step up if Manchester City faltered but, instead, have been left trailing in Liverpool’s wake.

This team has gone backwards in the Premier League but can take an almighty step forward if they beat Real Madrid and then set up a semi final against Aston Villa or PSG. What an opportunity.

Arteta has done such a remarkable job at the Emirates. From a team and a club without direction when he took over nearly six years ago, they are on the up. But Arteta just has one trophy to show for it after winning the FA Cup in 2020.

They have gone close in the Premier League title race but fallen short. Now, they have the opportunity to do what even the great Arsene Wenger, the greatest manager in the club’s history, could not do: win the Champions League.

Arsenal beat Real Madrid on the way to the 2006 final, keeping two clean sheets in the process. Thierry Henry scored the winner in the Bernabeu. But the back four is more surprising. Emmanuel Eboue, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos and Mathieu Flamini.

Admittedly, Real did not have Vincius Jr, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. But Arsenal must do what that defence did… survive the first 20 minutes, quell the crowd and get the job done. They must also not get caught in between wondering whether to stick or twist. Arsenal have experience of that themselves from 2011/12.

Arsenal lost 4-0 to AC Milan in the San Siro but the Italians did not know how to approach the return. Arsenal were 3-0 up before half time but just could not find the all-important fourth. These games, even with a healthy lead, are difficult to plan. But Arteta is a brilliant tactician, leaves no detail to chance and will run through every scenario with his players.

If Arsenal go through, it will underline Arteta’s progress. If they go out, Arteta will have to lift the club off the canvas little over a week after their greatest night.

The great Champions League comebacks

Three-goal deficits

2018/19 semi-finals Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

This will go down as one of – if not the greatest – European nights Anfield has seen. An incredible turnaround and one that shows anything is possible in an electric stadium.

2017/18 quarter-finals Barcelona 4-1 Roma Roma 3-0 Barcelona

Edin Dzeko described it as “crazy” as Roma pulled off a sensational fight back in the days when away goals still mattered.

2003/04 quarter-finals AC Milan 4-1 Deportivo La Coruña Deportivo La Coruña 4-0 AC Milan

For so long, this was the standout fixture as the greatest comeback – and the biggest – in the competition’s history. It just shows the danger of not knowing to stick or twist.

The greatest comeback of all

2016/17 round of 16 Paris Saint Germain 4-0 Barcelona Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint Germain

Unai Emery was PSG boss when his side collapsed in the Nou Camp and, even though he stayed another year, this was the beginning of the end.

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