Paul Merson believes his former club Arsenal would be better off facing Atletico Madrid than Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals – do you agree?
The Gunners meet PSV Eindhoven in their last-16 second leg on Wednesday and are all but into the last eight already after their 7-1 first-leg win last week.
Mikel Arteta’s side are set to face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid next, with Real holding a 2-1 first-leg lead ahead of Wednesday’s return game at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The tie is finely poised but Merson feels the north Londoners will want to face Atletico rather than the Champions League holders.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta tells Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill whether he would rather win the Premier League or the Champions League
When asked how far Arsenal can go in the competition, Merson told Sky Sports News: “I think it depends on who wins out of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
“I think if Atletico Madrid win, Arsenal have a bit of a chance. I think that’ll be a tight game, Atletico Madrid don’t blow anybody away – they play a certain style of football.
“But if they play against Real Madrid, I don’t know if they’re going to be able to live with them with goalscoring over two legs, especially with the players that are out for Arsenal.
“And I know they won 7-1 the other day, but it was a bit of a Polyfilla result. It covered over the cracks.”
Who do you think Arsenal would be better off facing? Read on as we make the case for both sides – and have your say in our poll.
Real Madrid preferable to low-block masters Atletico?
Sky Sports’ Oliver Yew:
Arsenal’s problem since the turn of the year has been scoring goals.
Injuries are a key factor in that. Any team would lack a cutting edge when missing the likes of Bukayo Saka, Kai Hvertz and Gabriel Jesus.
But the problem has been heightened when coming up against sides who pack their defence, playing with a low block, and that is becoming a common occurrence, especially in the Premier League.
It’s nothing new for Arsenal but should they face Ateltico Madrid, Diego Simeone’s side, they would know exactly what was coming. Atletico’s resilient style looks tailor-made to cause Mikel Arteta’s side plenty of problems.
We saw that in Arsenal’s Europa League semi-final against Simeone’s side in 2018, albeit Arsene Wenger was still in charge. Atletico, with 10 players, battled to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium before a 1-0 win in Madrid saw them reach the final as they went on to lift the trophy.
Last season also demonstrated the difficulties Arsenal face against defensive sides in Europe, with the Gunners needing penalties to get past a rugged Porto outfit in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Conor Gallagher in action for Atletico Madrid
There is one team who won’t play a low block: Real Madrid.
Boasting the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, it is not in their make-up. And while Real can blow any side out of the water on their day, their attacking style could help Arsenal.
We saw that against PSV, who left space for Arsenal to exploit.
It allowed Martin Odegaard to thrive and it was no surprise to see Arsenal click into gear to score seven with their captain pulling the strings.
The best bits from Paul Merson’s coverage of Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain on Soccer Special
Of course, Real Madrid have the star power to make Arsenal look silly. They are the holders and should not be underestimated.
But their style, over that of Atletico, might suit Arsenal in their current injury-ravaged guise.
The case to face Atletico over Real Madrid
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:
Atletico Madrid are a formidable opponent but does it really get any tougher than Real Madrid in this tournament?
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a hat-trick against Man City
The 15-time winners have won the competition more than twice as many times as any other club, including, of course, last season, when they overcame Borussia Dortmund at Wembley in the final.
They have not been at quite the same level as last term domestically. There were also some glimmers of vulnerability early in the Champions League league phase campaign, when they were beaten three times, by Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool. But do not be fooled.
They go into their second leg with Atletico having won their last six consecutive Champions League games, including both legs of their play-off double-header with Manchester City – and having smashed an incredible total of 19 goals in the process.
Vinicius celebrates with Real Madrid players at the Etihad Stadium
Their attacking firepower is surely unrivalled in European football, and although their defence is currently depleted by injuries, they remain a nightmare opponent, particularly in Europe.
There is of course their aura to consider too. The biggest factor in Real Madrid’s European success is the quality of their players, but all those historic nights have also equipped them with a level of belief and durability that no other side possesses in this competition.
Brahim Diaz scored in Real Madrid’s last-16 first leg against Atletico
Consider how they beat Bayern Munich in last season’s semi-finals, thanks to an extraordinary late double from substitute Joselu. Their victory over Manchester City at the same stage of the competition in 2021/22, which featured two stoppage-time goals from Rodrygo and an extra-time winner from Karim Benzema, was even more improbable. Only Real Madrid can do this.
They would hold that psychological advantage over Arsenal, as they would any side, and do not overlook their willingness to sit back and frustrate opponents, while waiting for opportunities to unleash Vinicius, Mbappe and the rest on the counter.
In last season’s quarter-finals, they overcame Manchester City, eventually on penalties, while averaging roughly 34 per cent of the possession across the two legs. They are pragmatic under Carlo Ancelotti, himself a record five-time winner of the competition as a manager. They should be feared – more than Atletico.
Follow Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid in Sky Sports’ live blog across our digital platforms on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm
