Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal will show no fear at Real Madrid

Arsenal take a commanding 3-0 lead to the Santiago Bernabéu in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday but Mikel Arteta says that his side will "approach the game to win".

Given their recent UEFA Champions League record, there can't be many more intimidating sides to face than Real Madrid in a European quarter-final.

Time and time again Los Blancos have orchestrated titanic comebacks on the biggest stage with the majority played out in the famed Santiago Bernabéu.

Just last season it was Joselu who fired Madrid to the Champions League final with two late goals against Bayern Munich.

The tie was seemingly wrapped up with two minutes to play after an Alphonso Davies strike, but the Spanish side showed yet again why they can never be written off.

If they are to comeback against Arsenal it will have to be from a far more precarious position, however.

A stunning brace of free-kicks from Declan Rice mean the Gunners arrive in the Spanish capital with a three-goal cushion as Mikel Merino rounded off the first-leg win.

Arteta will be hoping that his side can lean on their excellent defensive record in the competition.

They have only shipped six UEFA Champions League goals throughout the entirety of their campaign, something that will surely give them confidence.

Arteta: We don't fear Madrid

Jude Bellingham used his Tuesday press conference to declare that his team are 'made' for the challenge that awaits them when they face Arsenal but Mikel Arteta was just as defiant in his message.

The Spaniard did admit that it is 'impossible' to shut out the Real Madrid noise given their history but fear is not something they are feeling.

Arteta said: "We approach the game to win it, the same as we did in London. Our preparation has been the things we have to do, the things we have to dominate in different phases of the game to give us the best possible chance to win the game.

"That's our mindset and how we are going to play on Wednesday."

Arsenal have won almost everything there is to win but the UEFA Champions League is one trophy that has evaded them.

Now in the latter stages of the competition with a seemingly golden opportunity to reach the semi-finals, you might think the pressure has turned up a notch, although Arteta was quick to dispel that notion.

"There's excitement," he said. "When you talk about creating history, look at how small the history is, we haven't won the competition.

"We are trying to do something where we are trying to start to dominate European competition."

• Read Real Madrid v Arsenal: Prediction and Tips

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William Dobbie

• Arsenal F.C.
• Real Madrid CF
• UEFA Champions League
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