Since the beginning of March, Real Madrid has won only four of the regular playing time of eight competitive games. In theory, however, three titles are still possible for the royal. The defending champion wants to lay the foundation for the most important against FC Arsenal on Tuesday in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League (from 9 p.m. Live in the ticker).
However, Real has never won a competitive game against the “Gunners”. Not even a goal has succeeded in the royal against the club from London. A surprising fact that, admittedly, is also due to the fact that the 2005/06 season only came to a clash of the two traditional clubs. At that time, Arsenal prevailed in the round of 16 of the Champions League through a 1-0 in the first leg and a 0-0 in the second leg. The golden gate shot a certain Thierry Henry.
The Madrilenen will of course want to retaliate these balance sheet charts, because that would mean moving into the semi-finals. This is part of the self -image of the record winner, which has always been represented among the last four teams since the 2020/21 season. The team of coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was known in recent years, is in the best form not to always perform at the top level in the end of the season.
Defeat against Valencia has Bellingham and Ancelotti angry
At the weekend, Real lost 1-2 at home against the relegation -threatened FC Valencia at home and awarded good goal opportunities in rows. Jude Bellingham was frustrated after the final whistle and stepped towards the Var monitor – a goal of the Madrilenen was rightly not given because of a short offside position. Ancelotti had also seen the yellow card after the corresponding scene, his fifth this season. The tension seems to be great in the capital.
A few days earlier, the wild 4: 4 after extra time against Real Sociedad had secured the final in the Copa del Rey, where it was against FC Barcelona.
Flances are really causing problems
It is currently four points in the league in the league in front of the big rival and still has the much better goal difference. The chances of catching up the Catalans there seem at least not gigantic.
The last victory of the Ancelotti-Elf, which was more than one goal, was a 2-0 against FC Girona in mid-February. The big dominance does not radiate the eleven, which is peppered with so many superstars, the shape is too fluctuating, for example, with Vinicius Jr., who hit Valencia after a corner, but also missed a penalty and was otherwise rarely seen.
And on the defensive, Madrid is currently absolutely vulnerable to flanks and in quick switching game. This vulnerability, when it comes to the Madrilenen, is supposed to shrink again by returning goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian had missed the past two games with muscular problems, but is now training again.
Arsenal – strong on flanks and with rotation in the league
In fact, it was also flank at FC Arsenal that increasingly led to goals. Accordingly, coach Mikel Areta should also give his players appropriate instructions for Tuesday and the following Wednesday to crack the royal. The table runners -up of the Premier League has not lost for seven competitive games, but has also won only two of the past five, as on weekends at 1-1 at Everton FC.
Arsenal is dangerous for flanks
However, the championship has not been about the championship for a long time: eleven points behind in first place and ten points ahead of the first non-champions League-Platz ensure that the team’s focus is clearly on the premier class. Accordingly, Areta also rotated against Everton and granted some of his top performers a little break. Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey were all on the bench.
The Londoners are likely to be restored, who, as the host, also do not have to take travel traps. So the bigger gap in the championship in the duel with the defending champion of the Champions League could even even become an advantage.