Real Madrid vs Arsenal, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, 16.04.2025 KO 20:00 GMT

So id love nothing more than for this game to be a damp squib of a match, in the spirit of our return leg against Juventus in Turin in the 1/4 finals 19 years ago


A no frills, no drama contest where the two coaches shake hands before the referee even blows the whistle for full time


Do I think it will be like this? No. I can see a defeat by one or maybe two goals that see us sweating slightly for the final whistle. So do I think we will advance to the semi finals? Yes, do I think it might be a sphincter clenched evening….also yes

Yep, hopefully an absolute snooze fest but unlikely to be the case. I think we could be 5-0 up and our opponents would somehow still find a way to make a contest of it.

If we can get to half time without conceding I’ll be quite happy.

I just hope we’re able to get up the pitch and pose a threat of our own because that’s how we’ll get through. If we go ultra defensive then we are just leaving it to fate.

Madrid in the Champions League have their own special kind of voodoo there isn't a team in the world who would be confident at this stage.

Avoiding conceding the early goal is key, but then it's also that horrible position of avoiding sitting back hoping to hit them on the break and just ending up inviting huge pressure. They also have the attacking ability to beat you fair and square on their day

Any other team and you'd think you're home and hosed. Madrid... There is a certain fuzzy feeling of seeing Madrid lose in the CL though.

I hope we draw, tbh

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaqiri Is Boss

Madrid in the Champions League have their own special kind of voodoo there isn't a team in the world who would be confident at this stage.

Avoiding conceding the early goal is key, but then it's also that horrible position of avoiding sitting back hoping to hit them on the break and just ending up inviting huge pressure. They also have the attacking ability to beat you fair and square on their day

Any other team and you'd think you're home and hosed. Madrid... There is a certain fuzzy feeling of seeing Madrid lose in the CL though.

---

I have been quite impressed with the noises coming out of Arsenal this week. They very much understand it is not job done. If we concede in the first 20 minutes then things could get interesting.
I’m fairly confident actually. I wouldn’t be at 2-0 but Arsenal almost never get thumped so 3 should be enough. There’s no way we will dominate them like we did at The Emirates though

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Letters

I have been quite impressed with the noises coming out of Arsenal this week. They very much understand it is not job done. If we concede in the first 20 minutes then things could get interesting.
I’m fairly confident actually. I wouldn’t be at 2-0 but Arsenal almost never get thumped so 3 should be enough. There’s no way we will dominate them like we did at The Emirates though

---

I did like the immediate reaction that it's not done yet, half time etc etc. Obviously fairly standard reactions but there was no celebration or idea that it was job done. Maybe it's unfair but I wonder if some of your teams-past would be quite so pragmatic.

Think it will be the usual from Madrid trying to get at our players/trying to get them sent off Mbappe will be doing his Tom Daley impression diving all over the place, I feel they will beat us tomorrow but not over the two legs. We WILL score!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

Yep, hopefully an absolute snooze fest but unlikely to be the case. I think we could be 5-0 up and our opponents would somehow still find a way to make a contest of it.

If we can get to half time without conceding I’ll be quite happy.

I just hope we’re able to get up the pitch and pose a threat of our own because that’s how we’ll get through. If we go ultra defensive then we are just leaving it to fate.

---

This x 100 for me :pray:

Woke up this morning a bag of nerves. :sick:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Letters

I hope we draw, tbh

---

:lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IBK

This x 100 for me :pray:

---

Likewise, not conceding early is crucial, the longer it goes on the nervier RM will get

Apparently White and Partey are available again for this :good:

Oh and... 3-0 Mbappe hatter

Bore Draw would suit me fine, anything more is icing on the cake

I just don’t see how this game doesn’t descend into chaos. Hopefully there’s a decent ref for a start who won’t be giving them any crap decisions their shithouse players start demanding.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

I just don’t see how this game doesn’t descend into chaos. Hopefully there’s a decent ref for a start who won’t be giving them any crap decisions their shithouse players start demanding.

---

Yeah it's that which worries me, our players need to keep their cool and do their best to avoid anything which could lead to a card

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mac76

Yeah it's that which worries me, our players need to keep their cool and do their best to avoid anything which could lead to a card

---

We've not received a red card this season and actually have committed the least fouls compared to all the teams left (except Barca and Inter). Just checked again and we've got the best disciplinary record of the last 8 so far.


Definitely UEFA will try and help Real out a bit ( they've already agreed to closing the roof and we're probably at risk of giving away a penalty ), but lets just say I'd be more afraid if this was us against an English team with an English ref.

To think its largely the same way we play in the league and we're considered the dirtiest team around and master of the "dark arts".

Honestly there needs to be a public inquiry on WTF we did to the PGMOL.

It got lost in the fact we won 3-0, but I thought the ref was fairly pro-Real last wek, especially in the first half, not penalising a number of heavy tackles, some of which were yellows IMO

Last red card I thought that we deserved was Fabio Vieira against Burnley, stupid boy

Yeah I’d fear a pel more than a red card, they tend to give pels for anything and everything in uefa competitions

So got to be careful of Vini jnr or Mbappe throwing themselves to the floor, or a handball decision where the ball hits the players arm from point blank range


We’ve conceded what four goals in five games away from home in Europe. Two were pels, one was a goalkeeping fuckup and one was a decent header from a corner (as I recall)


One pel was ridiculously harsh (Inter) one was silly on behalf of one of our players (Partey)


So need to be careful not to be overly physical in the box and where possible keep our arms down

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mac76

It got lost in the fact we won 3-0, but I thought the ref was fairly pro-Real last wek, especially in the first half, not penalising a number of heavy tackles, some of which were yellows IMO

---

Yeah I think Odegaard especially got fouled a couple of times and they waved play on

But actually similar challenge from us always blown up for

Don’t know if this has already been posted but EUFA have granted Madrids request to close the roof on the stadium to help with the atmosphere.

I'm not too worried about the atmosphere unless it influences the officials, most of our players are internationals and they've all played NLDs etc, they're used to intense environments

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

Woke up this morning a bag of nerves. :sick:

---

It is ridiculous that we are nervous at 3-0.
But Real Madrid. In the Champions League. In the Bernabéu...
:sick:

Have to not concede early.

Same team as last Tuesday

Real Madrid make two changes. Tchouameni for the suspended Camavinga, and Valverde in for Modric

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Letters

It is ridiculous that we are nervous at 3-0.
But Real Madrid. In the Champions League. In the Bernabéu...
:sick:

Have to not concede early.

---

I can't provide much comfort, I just read this in Super Nintendo Chalmers' voice. Aurora Borealis!? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen!

Real Madrid: Courtois, Vazquez, Ascencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe.
Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, F. Garcia, Vallejo, Modric, Ceballos, Guler, Diaz, Endrick.

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Rosiak, Henry-Francis, Trossard, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Sterling, Nwaneri

:lol:

100% record here to preserve. :bow:

Come on Arsenal!

Let’s Twat these Twats!!

(Can’t remember the TM code)

so it's a minute's silence but they're playing some kinda spooky music... :blink:

Yellow for Alaba!

Nasty challenge that. Had intent.

Don’t like how quickly they are transitioning but I guess it’s to be expected.

We’re dithering on the ball too much, need to pass it quicker and first time

Nasty tackle but he's on a yellow now, Saka can just keep running at him

Saka across the face of goal.

Courtois saves from Saka!

Saka looking sharp

Penalty!!!

PELANTY!!!

Oh My God!!!

Fucking hell please score :sick: