LONDON, England — As Real Madrid prepare for their critical Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal on Tuesday night, Kylian Mbappe has taken to the pitch with a personal flair, flaunting a message on his boots.
The match will take place at Emirates Stadium, where both teams come with their own set of challenges. Real Madrid are entering this contest as the slight favorites, especially with Arsenal missing key players like Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus due to injuries.
Reports from ESPN FC reveal that Mbappe’s boots feature ‘Kyks Legacy’ along with a crown emoji, hinting at the personal significance behind his choice. Since signing with Madrid last summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the talented 26-year-old has scored 32 goals and provided four assists in 46 games.
Mbappe expressed his excitement about joining Los Blancos, stating, “The only thing that I wanted was to play here, at the Bernabeu, with this shirt, with the fans chanting my name, scoring goals and being happy.” He noted that choosing Madrid over financial offers was straightforward: “For sure, money is important to take care of my family, but for me, the most important thing is being happy.”
After the match against Arsenal, Real Madrid will shift focus back to La Liga, facing Alaves at the Mendizorrotza Stadium this Sunday.
Teammate Jude Bellingham has also highlighted the need for improvement following a disappointing home defeat to Valencia over the weekend. In that match, Real Madrid fell 2-1 despite Vinicius Jr‘s equalizer. Bellingham took to Instagram after the game, demanding a better performance: “Nowhere near good enough from us. Must change for Tuesday!”
Though Madrid suffered a setback, they remain the favorites for both legs of the tie against Arsenal. The Gunners are dealing with their own setbacks, particularly the loss of defender Gabriel to a season-ending injury. Arsenal had hoped Madrid would miss star players due to a UEFA investigation but are set to face a full-strength team.
This meeting marks the third time Arsenal and Real Madrid have clashed in European competition, their previous encounters signaling a long history in the Champions League. The first meeting in 2006 saw Arsenal emerge victorious on aggregate, but since then, Madrid has secured 15 Champions League titles, boasting six during that span.
Should they progress past Arsenal, Carlos Ancelotti’s squad will likely meet either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semi-finals.
With a remarkable 41 appearances this season, Bellingham continues to be a pivotal player for Madrid, netting 13 goals and providing 13 assists. He recently assisted Vinicius Jr in the match against Valencia, showcasing his importance to the team.
