Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta calls on the home fan base to rally behind the team as they host Real Madrid needing goals in the second leg of their UCL Round of 16 tie.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged Gunners fans to generate a “very special atmosphere” when his side faces Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.
It will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2006, when Arsenal famously dumped the Spanish giants out on the road to the final. While Real Madrid are the reigning European champions and the most decorated club in the competition’s history, their current credentials are less secure. Carlo Ancelotti’s men lost to Valencia at the weekend and required a penalty shootout to edge Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
Arteta said he believes the Arsenal faithful can make a difference on Tuesday night.
“I urge you all to arrive early, and help create those special evenings we have been missing at the Emirates,” he said. “We need our fans to join with us every ball. That’ll be a game changer.”
To enhance the ambiance, Arsenal will deploy two massive tifos, designed in collaboration with fan groups, in the Clock End and East Stand. There will also be a light show and pyrotechnics display as part of a pre-match spectacle designed to create a European fortress vibe at the Emirates.
