‘I beat Real Madrid with Arsenal – two absolute musts can see Gunners prevail’

Arsenal face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night and former Gunners right-back Emmanuel Eboue has offered his take on his old team’s chances

Emmanuel Eboue has insisted that Arsenal must go all out in their attack against Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium, while also maintaining a solid defence against the reigning Champions League holders.

The ex-Gunner, who was part of the team that beat Real Madrid in their journey to the final of Europe’s elite club competition back in the 2005/06 season, has offered some key advice to the current squad ahead of their first leg against the La Liga side on Tuesday night.

Eboue featured for Arsenal from 2005 to 2011, making 214 appearances and netting 10 goals from his right-back position, as well as providing 20 assists during his time in north London.

The Ivorian was part of an Arsenal squad that boasted the likes of Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg, Cesc Fabregas, Robert Pires and Sol Campbell – all of whom started in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona.

Despite a 2-1 defeat on the night, with goals from Campbell for Arsenal and both Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti securing the win for Barca, Eboue is no stranger to winning tough games in Europe.

During Arsenal’s journey to the 2006 final, they overcame a formidable Madrid side in the round of 16 with a 1-0 victory on aggregate thanks to a Thierry Henry goal at the Bernabeu, which saw them progress to the quarter-finals. The Spanish club at that time boasted legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, and Ronaldo Nazario, but Eboue and his defensive partners kept the European giants at bay and advanced.

Eboue has urged the current squad to prioritise a strong defensive performance against Real Madrid, as he told MyBettingSites that a clean sheet is crucial in tonight’s Champions League clash.

The former right-back also emphasised the importance of taking chances and scoring as many goals as possible, to take a significant advantage to the Bernabeu for the second leg.

Eboue said: “People think it’ll be easy for Arsenal at home because Real Madrid haven’t been at their best, but as I said – Real Madrid are Real Madrid.

“We have to play our football, give our best, and take the chances that come our way. Every chance must be converted because the second leg is at the Bernabeu. It’s crucial to score as much as we can at the Emirates, and not concede.”

While confident in Arsenal’s abilities, Eboue acknowledged Madrid’s history of dominance in the competition and their ability to win even when not playing well. He said: “I’ve watched Real Madrid a few times this season. They don’t really play well, but they win. That’s the problem for Arsenal.

“They have great players, so even when the team doesn’t play well, in the end, they still win. You can see Mbappe scoring two goals, Vinicius making key passes, and Bellingham producing moments of magic. Arsenal have played well in every game. To be honest, this year I feel they’ve performed well every time, and I’ve really enjoyed watching them play. They play very good football.”

Eboue also expressed concern about Arsenal’s recent defensive struggles in the Premier League, despite having conceded fewer goals so far this season compared to the previous one. In the 2023/24 season, Mikel Arteta’s side allowed 29 goals, but with 26 conceded already this year and seven games remaining, they risk ending up with a worse record.

The 41-year-old noticed this worrying trend, as he said: “A problem this year has been that they’ve conceded more than last season. Last year, they were very compact and didn’t concede as much. This year, they’ve let in more goals, and that’s not good.

“In the game against Real Madrid, Arsenal will be the better team, but they’ll have to be careful-because Real Madrid are still Real Madrid.”

However, Eboue has identified one player who could be their shining light – Jakub Kiwior. The 25-year-old is likely to start against Madrid, given that William Saliba’s usual centre-half partner, Gabriel, is out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The Polish defender has made 19 appearances for the club this season, including six in the Champions League – four starts and two from the bench. Eboue has instructed Saliba to support Kiwior in Tuesday’s match, believing the duo can be what Arsenal need to progress in the competition.

He added: “You know what? If Kiwior plays for Arsenal, it means he is a good player. So, for me, Saliba has to help Kiwior a lot. He doesn’t play often, and it will be difficult for him to face Mbappe, Vinicius, or Bellingham – who, to be honest, is everywhere on the pitch. I think Saliba, with his experience, has to support Kiwior in this game.”

The first leg of Arsenal vs Real Madrid will kick off at 8pm on Tuesday evening at the Emirates Stadium, with the away leg scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 at 8pm.

Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£43

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.