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Arsenal face their toughest test of the season on Tuesday night as they welcome Real Madrid to Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final matchup.
Despite sitting second in the Premier League, the Gunners have been inconsistent at times this season, often bouncing between wins and draws on the domestic front, but they have managed to keep up results in Europe, winning seven and losing just one of their 10 fixtures.
The upcoming game against the Champions League holders will be an extremely tough test for Arsenal, and they must banish any inconsistency to channel their continental form ahead of the first leg. The return fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu will be the furthest thing from a casual and simple road trip, so a first leg win is crucial for the Gunners.
Why a first leg win is crucial for Arsenal against Real Madrid
Arsenal are yet to have fully converted the Emirates into a fortress, but they have enjoyed some good form on home soil this season. The Gunners have won 16 of their 24 home games this season, losing just twice.
This should act as a morale booster for the squad as they welcome one of Europe's best sides to North London on Tuesday night. The Gunners need to capitalise on being able to utilise this good home record in the first leg, where they can take a commanding hold of the tie.
Not only will their home record sway in Arsenal's favour, but the crowd's atmosphere will play a huge part. Reports have claimed there will be a 'full stadium fan activated display' for the visit of Madrid and many would hope that helps create some kind of hostile atmosphere for Los Blancos.
Now I know us Arsenal fans don't have a reputation as the noisiest fans in football, as the infamous 'Highbury Library' nickname suggests, but I have been there as part of a crowd in full voice and that can certainly be the case on Tuesday.
A good atmosphere is so important for the first leg because that will be near absent at the Bernabeu. There will of course be some Gooners present but there is unlikely to be enough to ousting the Madridistas that will line the seats.
The Arsenal squad must capitalise on having this at their disposal for the first leg, in which they could very well take control of the tie. Their home record will act in their favour, and they will be spurred on by the singing, chanting and cheering of their supporters, so they must use both of these to their advantage before they disappear into thin air in Madrid.
As many clubs have come to realise over the years, Real Madrid pose quite the threat when at home in the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's side have lost just once in their last 18 UCL games on home turf, a 3-1 defeat the hands of AC Milan in this season's league stage. They did however succumb to a shock 2-1 defeat to Valencia in their last game, their first home league defeat since October.
There is no denying that when backed by their own fans in their own ground, Madrid will be heavy favourites for the second leg. The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior will be ready to put the Arsenal backline under substantial pressure at the Bernabeu and that is a great threat.
While trying not to sound too pessimistic, an away win in the second leg seems near impossible for Arsenal. The intimidating atmosphere they will be faced with as well the deadly attacking force Madrid boast could be too much for the Gunners.
As a result, a first leg win is absolutely crucial for Mikel Arteta's team. Arsenal have the chance to beat a Madrid side that are off the back of a shock home defeat to Valencia. The Gunners should capitalise on this and make the most of their home advantage to kick Madrid while they are down before they travel for what is potentially the toughest away day of the entire Arteta era to date. Los Blancos won't stay down forever.