Mikel Arteta issues pre-match message to Arsenal stars ahead of huge Champions League second leg against Real Madrid

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are not taking on Real Madrid with survival on their minds, despite the huge cushion of a 3-0 lead. 

The Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night offers an enormous opportunity for the Gunners to tee up a semi-final against PSG. 

And Arteta has sent a clear message to his side that they are there to win the game, rather than attempt to protect the lead. 

He told TNT Sports: ‘The mindset and conviction is that we are here to win the game. 

‘That’s the most important thing and that we play with courage and determination, taking the game that we want. 

‘It’s half-time, there’s still so much to do, obviously you have to earn the right to be in the semi-final. 

‘In order to do that, you’re going to have some really beautiful moments, some very difficult moments and you have to really enjoy and embrace those to earn the right to be in the semi-final.’

There remains an air of confidence, misplaced or otherwise, among the Real Madrid stars ahead of the game despite the deficit. 

Jude Bellingham revealed on Tuesday that the word ‘Remontada’ – which translates to ‘comeback’ – has been bouncing around the Real dressing room, while Vinicius Jr wrote on Instagram ‘Tomorrow. 9pm,’ with the Brazilian seemingly ready to put in a big performance after being kept quiet in the first leg.

The club’s official social media account on X also posted a video asking ChatGPT to translate the eight-word message ‘Ninety minutes at the Bernabeu are very long’, into as many languages as possible.

Despite the bluff and bluster in the Spanish capital, it would be an astonishing feat given Arsenal’s dominance in London. 

Kylian Mbappe and Co barely had a sniff and there cannot be much confidence in the hosts keeping a clean sheet, given their defensive issues all season. 

The 15-time champions are on the brink and Carlo Ancelotti’s future at the club is also in question. 

With Liverpool set to win the Premier League and Arsenal throwing all their weight behind the Champions League campaign, it is also do-or-die for Arteta and Co. 

That steely resolve the manager has spoke about approaching the game with will no doubt be tested if Real score early and it will be a huge examination of their credentials in the Bernabeu cauldron with the roof closed.