Muhamad Yehia.. Cairo
rsenal trained at their London Colney base on Monday, on the eve of the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against reigning champions Real Madrid.
Following two substitute appearances, Bukayo Saka looks set to return to Mikel Arteta’s starting eleven after a long lay-off, but that boost to the Gunners is offset somewhat by the absence of key defender Gabriel, who is out with a hamstring injury.
Arsenal go into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday, but other results went their way and although Liverpool remain on the verge of securing the Premier League title, Arteta’s men tightened their grip on second place and are all but certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League
Arsenal are in the last eight for a second successive season and are unbeaten at home in ten games in the competition, winning eight.
Real Madrid arrive in London on the back of a shock 2-1 home defeat by Valencia, a result that dented their chances of retaining the Spanish league title, but the 15-time European champions have already knocked out Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the knockout phase this season and will be confident of taking a decent result back to the Spanish capital for the second leg.
The two teams have met just once before in the Champions League, with Arsenal coming out on top 1-0 on aggregate in the 2005-06 season. They went on to finish runners-up to Barcelona, their first and so far only appearance in a Champions League final.