Arsenal's overall atmosphere was quite good, mainly because they had won several consecutive matches recently.
Especially in the home match against Chelsea, they managed to snatch three points from Mourinho, which boosted their confidence significantly.
But to be honest, facing Real Madrid was still a bit precarious.
They themselves were well aware that the current Real Madrid and Bayern Munich seemed to be on a completely different level.
In the past, there were also strong and weak teams, but the strength difference was not so obvious.
However, in today's football world, in European competitions, strong is strong, and weak is weak!
For a weak team to pull off an upset, it's truly as difficult as ascending to heaven.
As for strong teams, they just pound their opponents mercilessly!
"Hey! Özil , tomorrow we're playing Real Madrid, if you perform well, maybe you really can join them!"
Cazorla said with a laugh, teasing him.
It was well-known that Özil wanted to join Real Madrid.
With his excellent performance in the 2010 World Cup, Özil also had the opportunity to join Real Madrid.
But in the end, nothing came of it.
The first time was after the 2010 World Cup, when both sides held talks.
However, Özil's position overlapped with Kaka's, and Real Madrid was unwilling to displace Kaka, hoping that Özil could change his playing style or seek other positions.
But ultimately, the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
The second time was in 2012, after a long period of stagnation, Özil had somewhat mellowed out, and he was willing to compromise.
But Real Madrid at this point was already somewhat dismissive of Özil; it wasn't that his performance was bad, but rather that Real Madrid simply didn't need him in the midfield.
Because of this, they asked Özil if he could accept an adjustment, which even meant being a substitute.
In response, Özil, in a fit of anger, ultimately signed a contract with Arsenal.
Two attempts at a transfer, but both failed.
In fact, there was another instance during that period, after Kaka transitioned to a defensive midfielder, Özil tried again.
But strangely enough, Real Madrid gave no response, and the matter was simply shelved.
Özil himself couldn't understand why he couldn't join Real Madrid; his performance wasn't too bad.
But now, it was too late to say anything!
His feelings towards Real Madrid were more of anger, wanting to personally defeat Real Madrid and show them what they had missed.
However, this was not an easy task.
Looking at Real Madrid's lineup, he indeed had a headache!
As for his teammates' teasing, Özil was already used to it; not only his teammates, but even the media would often use this issue for hype.
However, Özil retorted sarcastically, "You should worry about yourself, you still have to fight for a starting spot on the National Team!"
Özil's meaning was clear: he was still a starting midfielder for the National Team, truly playing a core role.
But Cazorla, he had always been suppressed by Xavi and Iniesta; now Xavi was old, but he still hadn't found an opportunity to rise.
Cazorla had no right to talk about him!
From this conversation, it's clear that the relationship between these two wasn't very good.
And it was true; Cazorla couldn't stand this "big-eyed guy." Putting aside his playing style, his arrogant attitude was very annoying.
This guy didn't have many honors, so why was he earning so much money and acting so arrogant?
If it were Suker, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Messi, then Cazorla would accept it!
After all, their honors and achievements were there; their arrogance was genuinely impressive, but what was this guy trying to prove?
Cazorla pouted and left, and the Arsenal players were also making their final adjustments.
Wenger, on the sidelines, also noticed this scene and couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
The relationship between Cazorla and Özil hadn't improved, and the team's two biggest stars not getting along was not good news.
Fortunately, neither of them had any intention of escalating the conflict.
Wenger believed that today's players were much easier to manage than before, each one well-behaved.
In the past, during the era of Henry, Pires, and Vieira, those guys would act rather than talk.
"Hoo~~~ Has the analysis report on Suker come out?"
Wenger turned his head and spoke to his old partner, Patrice.
Pat Rice was also getting on in years, with graying temples.
The two had worked together for a long time, able to read information from just a glance.
Seeing Rice's worried expression, Wenger sighed, "It seems the situation isn't too good."
"It's very bad!"
Pat Rice sighed, "From the information, Suker's overall performance curve has shown a significant upward trend since the end of the winter break, and he's playing more actively, especially his explosive ability on the left wing. I even feel that Henry didn't have that kind of explosive ability!"
As the former King of Highbury, Rice liked to compare players to Henry when evaluating them.
Firstly, he considered Henry the most familiar top player.
Secondly, it allowed for a more intuitive comparison.
But to be honest, even Henry in his prime didn't have Suker's insane statistics and performance.
Moreover, this wasn't even Suker's prime, as his peak was two years ago, when he scored 60 goals in a single season.
Suker was already terrifying enough at this time; he dared not imagine what it would have been like if they had encountered Suker and Real Madrid two years ago.
"What about the midfield?"
Wenger continued to ask.
Pat Rice: "Real Madrid's midfield performance has been mediocre. We can clearly see that the control of the midfield has shifted from Kaka to Kroos. I admit Kroos is also an excellent midfielder, but perhaps he hasn't fully adapted to this style of play, so he occasionally needs Suker to drop back and receive the ball."
Wenger frowned, "What if Suker's dropping back is a smokescreen?"
Rice was stunned, "Are you saying Real Madrid is intentionally playing like this for others to see?"
Wenger nodded, "I've paid attention to Kroos as a player. His ability shouldn't be as he's shown. From the current data, Kroos doesn't seem to have many forward passes or active attacking tendencies, as if he's afraid to pass forward."
"But if we combine that with past data, it's not hard to see that this guy is hiding something."
"When Kaka was playing as a defensive midfielder, Kroos was Real Madrid's attacking engine in the final third. After dropping back to defensive midfield, he suddenly can't play anymore? And Ancelotti is still giving him chances? Do you believe that?"
Rice blinked and shook his head, "No! If we encountered such a problem, we would adjust immediately. If we couldn't adjust, we would find other replacements."
"Exactly! That's the point! So, I think Real Madrid has released a smokescreen, combined with Suker's versatile attributes, to conceal some of Kroos's role. At the critical moment, these guys will deliver a heavy blow to their opponents!"
Pat Rice nodded, then asked, puzzled, "But… why would they do that? They are Real Madrid! Even without doing this, they have very strong combat power."
"It should be Ancelotti's idea." Wenger sighed, "This guy likes to hide things. Just like during his time at Milan, he quietly hid Suker's attacking ability. When Shevchenko left, and the whole world thought Milan had lost its attacking spearhead, Suker's appearance amazed everyone."
"Also, this is his first season coaching, so more cover can allow the team to face less pressure and ensure victory in matches, as he also needs honors to prove his coaching ability at Real Madrid."
In fact, Ancelotti was under immense pressure!
Not just a little bit!
Wenger could understand that!
After all, Ancelotti's predecessor was Mourinho.
Regardless of how Mourinho and Real Madrid fell out, the results were there.
In Mourinho's three seasons coaching Real Madrid, he won the Champions League twice, and it was consecutive.
This achievement alone put immense pressure on his successor.
Even Ancelotti was not exempt.
Ancelotti also had many Champions League honors, but precisely because of this, to maintain his title as a championship coach, he needed to deliver excellent coaching performances.
"Everything depends on tonight!"
Wenger looked up at the sky, a clear sky with no clouds.
But Wenger's heart felt inexplicably heavy!
The away match was crucial. Wenger hadn't even thought about winning, but he still had to secure a draw, so they could gain a significant advantage at home.
Of course, they would still say the goal was to win, but a draw was the bottom line, and they could lose by at most one goal.
Once the opponent scored too many goals, they would be very passive even at home.
As night fell, the entire Madrid gradually became lively.
Currently, Madrid has an average of two Champions League matches to watch.
One is Atletico Madrid, and the other is Real Madrid!
Based on their excellent performance, the emotions of both sets of fans were very high.
Especially the fans of Atletico Madrid; the team has now overcome the sluggish state of the past few seasons and, under the leadership of Simeone, is playing with a fiery and positive attitude.
They performed very well in both the League and the Champions League.
Except for consistently losing to Real Madrid, they played very well in all other matches.
For this reason, Atletico Madrid fans very much hoped that Arsenal could upset Real Madrid, so they would have one less major enemy in the Champions League.
However, this was just wishful thinking; the latter would shout mocking slogans, but expecting Arsenal to defeat Real Madrid was truly not an easy task.
The Bernabéu Stadium was brightly lit.
When the Arsenal players arrived at the venue, the entire area was already incredibly lively.
They entered the venue through a side door; even at the side door, a carpet was laid on the ground leading into the venue, with a huge Real Madrid team crest in the center of the carpet.
The Arsenal players all walked around it.
It wasn't out of extreme respect, but rather the watchful eyes of the security personnel on both sides, as if if they stepped on it, these guys would rush over to 'reason' with them.
From the moment they entered the venue, they felt immense pressure.
Pressure came from every detail, but they could only tough it out.
"Change into your clothes now and go out to warm up!"
Wenger said loudly.
The Arsenal players changed into their training kits one by one and began to walk out of the locker room.
When they arrived at the player tunnel, they also saw Real Madrid!
Unlike their scattered emergence, Real Madrid was grouped together, with Suker in the central, leading position, walking out with a flourish.
Immediately, the sense of oppression surged!
Being the boss in a team is a very difficult thing; it's not just about gaining respect, but also requires sufficient performance and status.
Even more so in a giant club!
But Suker, without a doubt, he is definitely a big shot in the Real Madrid locker room, even having enough say to talk to the higher-ups.
The Arsenal players also looked at Suker with apprehension.
This guy is definitely the most threatening player in this match!
On the field, both teams' players were warming up.
In the stands, fans were constantly making various noises, making the atmosphere even more heated.
Many Real Madrid fans could be seen holding small, self-made crowns in their hands, constantly waving them towards Suker on the field.
The meaning was clear: ever since Casillas's words, although the club had not responded, the spontaneous actions of the fans had basically confirmed the matter.
Whether the official acknowledges it or not, if the fans acknowledge it, then Suker is the king of Real Madrid.
Perhaps in a few more years, after Suker leaves, the official will completely set a tone, and it's possible to help Suker be crowned at the Bernabéu.
It was clear how much Suker was loved by Real Madrid fans.
Throughout the warm-up session, both sides were actively preparing.
After the warm-up, they returned to their respective locker rooms for final preparations.
And when the preparations were complete and the players arrived at the player tunnel ready to enter, Wenger and Ancelotti walked out first, shaking hands with smiles.
They were old rivals, having faced each other many times in European competitions and the Premier League.
"You've prepared quite a few tactics, haven't you?"
"No! We didn't have time to prepare anything!"
Looking at Ancelotti talking nonsense, Wenger smiled slightly.
It would be strange to believe him!
This was like a straight-A student who always got perfect scores on exams saying they hadn't studied at all.
Their conversation was brief, and they each returned to the dugout to await the start of the match.
At the same time, both teams' players officially entered the field.
A cheer erupted from the stadium, and the passion was completely ignited at this moment.
The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Kaka, Casemiro, Kroos.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Fabianski.
Defenders: Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen.
Midfielders: Cazorla, Arteta, Özil, Chamberlain, Podolski.
Forward: Giroud.
Suker looked at the opponent's lineup and nodded slightly.
A mix of old and new players, and quite a few familiar faces among them.
Wenger still favored French forwards; after Henry, Giroud also joined Arsenal.
And in the midfield, Cazorla, Özil, and Arteta became the most crucial players.
The defensive line was also relatively stable.
It can be said that this was the best lineup in the post-Wenger era.
Of course, compared to Real Madrid's lineup, there was still a significant gap.
Giroud, Podolski, and other players were all looking at Suker.
Their eyes held a hint of burning desire.
It wasn't because they liked Suker so much, but because they wanted to challenge him.
As a benchmark for forwards, Suker is definitely the opponent modern attacking players most want to defeat.
Any goal scored against Real Madrid brings immense attention, let alone achieving a victory.
And outperforming Suker in a single match can bring enormous traffic, money, and even increased influence.
This is what countless players dream of!
For this reason, Suker now is equivalent to a super boss, waiting for players one by one to challenge him.
Of course, this is not an easy task; it requires immense effort, and even some luck.
Suker's power no longer needs much description.
After the previous generation of players gradually retired from football, the new era, led by Suker, is dominating the football world.
And in terms of dominance alone, Suker, with five Ballon d'Ors, is undoubtedly at the forefront.
Therefore, the attraction Suker brings to these forwards is not insignificant.
Of course, for defenders, the pressure is extraordinarily immense.
Sagna was so nervous his palms were sweating.
As a right-back, he needed to directly confront Suker.
But thinking of all the full-backs who had been torn apart by Suker, he felt a shiver down his spine.
He wasn't a player who easily compromised, but the problem was that the opponent was indeed too strong.
After Captain Vermaelen finished speaking, Sagna couldn't help but add:
"Watch my position closely, I can't guarantee to lock down Suker!"
This sounded a bit cowardly, but no one was surprised; being cautious was always good, better than being arrogant and then getting completely humiliated by Suker.
"I will constantly monitor your position!" Arteta was the first to speak.
Mertesacker also nodded and said, "I will also coordinate in defense!"
Sagna nodded in relief, then he looked at Podolski.
But Podolski turned his head away, not looking at him.
Want him to track back?
How could that be possible? He was also preparing to perform well in this match, and if he chose to track back, once he was far from the opponent's penalty area, it would be too late to rush back.
He wasn't like Suker, who no longer needed to prove himself; scoring or not scoring didn't matter!
For Podolski, he still needed more goals to secure resources.
This was true for both club and National Team!
Seeing Podolski not responding, Sagna sighed inwardly.
He couldn't ask the other party to track back; it wasn't his responsibility, only if the other party offered voluntarily.
Looking at the situation now, it seemed there was no intention of tracking back, so Sagna could only tough it out.
He wasn't sure if he could keep up with Suker, but he had to be cautious.
He hoped Suker wouldn't explode too quickly, giving him some time to prepare.
At this moment, both teams' players had arrived at their respective halves.
Real Madrid kicked off the first half, and the match was about to begin!