LONDON, England — Real Madrid go face Arsenal for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Dem dey fear say some players fit collect yellow card wey go make dem miss the second leg wey dey happen for Santiago Bernabéu. Six Madrid players and three Arsenal players dey under this risk.
From Carlo Ancelotti side, the players wey fit miss the return leg if dem receive yellow cards include Luka Modric, Vinícius Jr., and others. For Arsenal, the trio of Gabriel, Declan Rice, and Jurrien Timber dey face the same risk, with Timber being a key player for them. If Timber miss game, Mikel Arteta go need rearrange im defence wey don already dey struggle due to injuries to other key players.
Despite the injury concern and some players’ inconsistency, Real Madrid still dey seen as favorites for the encounter against Arsenal. Ancelotti and im team dey scramble to recover goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who don dey fit return but no dey fully ready. In im absence, Real Madrid collect eight goals in the last three matches.
As the team prepare for the match, Ancelotti don note that 19-year-old star Jude Bellingham go play a major role alongside other attacking stars like Mbappé and Rodrygo. Arsenal don dey struggle with injuries, missing key defenders like Gabriel and Timber, which fit cost dem dearly in the match.
Mikel Arteta go depend on players like Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard, and Bukayo Saka for midfield stability and attack, hoping dem go perform well as dem aim for semi-finals for the first time in 16 years.
For the starting line-ups, Arsenal go likely start with Raya; White, Saliba, Timber, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey, Ødegaard; Saka, Merino and Martinelli. Meanwhile, Real Madrid go deploy Courtois; Alaba, Rüdiger, and others behind. This match go start by 3:00 p.m. ET today.
Referee for this match na Irfan Peljto. As the match draw near, tension dey high for both teams as dem look to secure a favorable result.
