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Arsenal will be up against it in the second leg against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side will enter the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final matchup against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu knowing they will be 90 minutes away from progressing.
But make no mistake about it, the hosts are going to make life incredibly difficult for the Gunners and they will be thrown in the deep end without floaties.
While a 3-0 lead is seen as a monster advantage for Arsenal, and it is, as one goal could essentially end the tie, but given such the deficit that Real faces, they will come out all gas, no brakes in an attempt to get back into the contest.
That means Arsenal will have the calm an almighty storm because the best way for Madrid to get the momentum flowing their way is to score an early goal...and that will be nightmare fuel for the Gunners.
Arsenal must calm the early Madrid storm
If the Gunners can remain stout defensively with Jakub Kiwior and William Saliba at the heart of the defense, the longer the hosts go without a goal, the more belief gets zapped, and the "easier" the game will become for Arsenal to play.
But allow an early goal, and all bets are off. Arsenal will have to try and withstand what could only be described as a tsunami of pressure that will be unrelenting throughout the game.
“I think this is an amazing stadium,” Kiwior said via arsenal.com. “I've never been there, and of course for me this is a very good experience. I think it's one of the biggest stadiums, so I'm waiting for this game. It's important to stay calm, but we have to win the second leg.”
Jakub is right. Arsenal MUST keep calm.
Yes, a three-goal lead is great, but the team can't rest on their laurels and allow Madrid to get into their groove and control the game - that's asking for trouble.
But more so, dealing with the moments as they come. Don't get caught up in the hostile atmosphere that will great them as we often see team's crumble.
It will be Arsenal's biggest mental test in the last two decades. If they can calm the early storm and remain calm themselves, then advancing to the semi-finals of the Champions League is a real possibility.