Thierry Henry Warns Arsenal About the Challenge of Facing Real Madrid

Thierry Henry Warns Arsenal 

Former Arsenal and Barcelona icon Thierry Henry shared his thoughts on CBS Sports (via Relevo) regarding Arsenal’s upcoming Champions League quarter-final showdown against Real Madrid. Drawing from his own experience, Henry highlighted the difficulties of taking on Los Blancos, a team renowned for securing crucial victories even when not performing at their peak.

"When you go up against Real Madrid, as Oblak has also mentioned, you need fortune and a flawless performance. Even then, it might still not be sufficient. Time and again, teams have suffered defeats to Madrid in the dying moments. It’s simply what they excel at in these tournaments. Arsenal must be ready to recover if they face such a setback," Henry remarked.

Despite Arsenal’s commanding 9-3 aggregate triumph over PSV Eindhoven in the round of 16, many view Real Madrid as the clear favorites due to their unmatched history in the Champions League. Henry, who famously guided Arsenal to a 1-0 aggregate victory over Madrid in the 2005-06 round of 16, was asked to offer guidance ahead of the decisive encounter.

"There is no fixed strategy. You saw how Atlético performed—they played exceptionally well, yet it still wasn’t enough. The same happened with Manchester City. If you don’t step into that match believing you can win, you might as well not show up," he cautioned.

Arsenal will need to deliver an almost impeccable display to compete with Real Madrid, a side celebrated for its resilience and ability to prevail in high-pressure matches