Real Madrid’s trip to North London just got a lot tougher.
As they gear up to face Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, Los Blancos will be without six major players—a blow that could reshape the high-voltage encounter at the Emirates.
Aurelien Tchouaméni, who picked up a suspension after a booking against Manchester City, will miss the match. He’s joined on the sidelines by injured teammates Dani Ceballos and Ferland Mendy, both of whom also sat out Real’s recent 2-1 La Liga loss to Valencia.
In goal, Andriy Lunin, the hero of Madrid’s penalty shootout triumph over Atletico, hasn’t returned to full training. That means Thibaut Courtois—only recently back from injury—will likely take the gloves for this crucial night.
On the defensive end, Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão also remain unavailable, leaving manager Carlo Ancelotti with some serious lineup puzzles.
There’s at least a bit of good news: UEFA has cleared Antonio Rudiger, Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, and Dani Ceballos of any wrongdoing related to their passionate post-match celebrations against Atletico. So while Real Madrid are battered, they’re not broken.
But there’s no denying it—Madrid will face a hungry and in-form Arsenal squad while missing a big chunk of their backbone. The Gunners are eyeing a return to the semi-finals for the first time in over a decade, and this depleted Madrid side could be just the opening they need.
Tuesday night at the Emirates promises drama, tension, and possibly… an upset.
