Kenya, April 13 -- Real Madrid has a big challenge ahead as they get ready to host Arsenal in the second game of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Wednesday, April 16. The stadium rooftop will be closed during the UCL Real Madrid vs Arsenal match.
They are down 3-0 from the first game that took place at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. The current champions need to play extremely well to turn this situation around and move on to the semifinals.
In the first match, Arsenal played brilliantly. Declan Rice scored two amazing free kicks, and Mikel Merino added another goal, giving Arsenal a strong lead.
Things got worse for Real Madrid when Eduardo Camavinga got a red card in stoppage time, meaning he cannot play in the next match.
Arsenal fans are already looking ahead to the semifinals, while Real Madrid fans are hoping for a comeback, as their club has done this many times before.
Real Madrid's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is feeling hopeful. He talked about the exciting atmosphere at the Bernabeu stadium. He said, "We've done the impossible before. Three goals is hard, but with our fans and focus, anything can happen."
Kylian Mbappe, who didn't play well in the first game, will be important for the team, along with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Arsenal, feeling good after their big win in the first match, want to stay focused and disciplined.
Their coach, Mikel Arteta, reminded his team to be careful, saying, "We respect Madrid's talent and history. We need to play our best to finish the job." Bukayo Saka is back to help the team, but they will miss Gabriel in defense. Jakub Kiwior did well filling in for him last time.
The match starts at 10:00 PM, and Arsenal is in a strong position. Real Madrid hopes to score early to energize their fans, but Arsenal's strong tactics and skill make them likely to win.
The team that wins will play against either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semifinals.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.