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Confirmed line-ups: Arsenal vs Real Madrid – Saka & Martinelli start

By on April 8, 2025

Arsenal - Martinelli and saka

Arsenal take on the mighty Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium tonight in the first leg of our Champions League quarter-final tie.

Mikel Arteta is without one of his key centre-backs after Gabriel Magalhaes was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury. Jacub Kiwior is tasked with filling in for the Brazilian as he keeps his place alongside William Saliba in the heart of Arsenal’s back four.

Jurrien Timber is recalled to start at right-back while Myles Lewis-Skelly keeps his place at left-back.

Thomas Partey anchors the midfield for Arsenal once again with Declan Rice in the box-to-box role. Martin Odegaard captains the Gunners tonight and we need a big performance from him against his former club.

Bukayo Saka is recalled to start on the right wing after getting some valuable minutes off the bench in our last two games. Gabriel Martinelli also comes back into the side with Mikel Merino leading the line up front in the continued absence of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Ethan Nwaneri drops to the bench while Leandro Trossard also misses out on the starting eleven despite scoring against Everton at the weekend.

For Madrid, they have a formidable attack of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junor and Rodrygo so Arsenal are going to have to be at their best in defence to keep them out.

These are the teams:

Arsenal

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli

Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri.

Real Madrid

Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo

Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, Guler, Endrick, Vasquez, Vallejo, Garcia, Brahim, Jacobo, Chema, Lorenzo