MIKEL ARTETA INSISTS a ‘bold and brave’ Arsenal do not fear Real Madrid and wants his side to secure their place in the Champions League semi-finals by beating the Spanish giants in their own back yard. Arsenal will take on Carlo Ancelotti’s team in the second leg of their quarter-final at the Bernabeu tonight with a three-goal advantage following Declan Rice’s remarkable free-kick double at the Emirates Stadium last week. However, the 15-time European Cup winners have a habit of impressive turnarounds – against the might of Manchester City, Chelsea, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich – all in recent seasons.
Speaking prior to Arteta, England international Jude Bellingham said the buzz word in the Real dressing room ahead of Wednesday’s fixture is “comeback”. But responding to Bellingham’s comments, Arteta said: “We have the same mindset. “The mindset is to win, to be brave, to be bold, dominant, to be determined and to have the conviction that we can be better than them and win the game.
“That is the message I have conveyed to the players. They did that in London and now we have to do it in a different context tomorrow.” Put to Arteta that the suggestions in Spain are that Arsenal are fearful of a comeback, the Spaniard continued: “I wouldn’t use that word.
“Respect and admiration for what they’ve done in the competition as a club over the years, and the history they have, and the values that they defend is unbelievable. “It is amazing a.
_updates.jpg)
