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Opinion
Arsenal’s most important player against Real Madrid is not Bukayo Saka or Declan Rice but their £30m teammate
With Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka playing a starring role in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, the pair will be expected to deliver again.
Saka could give Fran Garcia problems in the second leg as Carlo Ancelotti seems to be set to name the Spaniard in his starting XI for Wednesday’s blockbuster clash.
While Declan Rice dominated Real Madrid in the middle of the park and it seems like Los Blancos are already making plans to counter his threat as the 39-year-old Luka Modric could be dropped against Arsenal.
However, apart from Rice and Saka, one man who will have to come up trumps for Arsenal against Real Madrid is Martin Odegaard.
Martin Odegaard is Arsenal’s key man vs Real Madrid in Champions League quarter-final
In the first leg, Odegaard showed glimpses of his magic against Real Madrid and it seemed like the Arsenal captain was in the groove — spotting Bukayo Saka’s runs by playing him through in trademark fashion, pressing from the front and fearlessly getting on the ball.
But whether it was due to the pressure of lining up against his former club Real Madrid or just fading away in general, Odegaard allowed his Arsenal teammates to take the mantle last week.
Jude Bellingham revealed the word “remontada” (translates to comeback in Spanish) has been ringing around Los Merengues’ dressing room, highlighting their desire to pull off a miracle — and the Norwegian is the perfect candidate to pour water over their hopes by controlling the game.
Odegaard differs from his Arsenal teammates in the sense that he can play the game at a variety of different tempos — and against Real Madrid, he will be demanded to calm proceedings down in front of a fired-up Santiago Bernabeu crowd.
The fact Mikel Arteta deployed the 25-year-old in a deeper midfield role last season is suggestive of his qualities as a controller — as he has the composed temperament and technical security to pick up the ball in every phase of the pitch and run the show.
Carlo Ancelotti has demand extra effort from Real Madrid’s players against Arsenal and in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Odegaard may not get the same degree of space and time on the ball as the hosts could press them very high up the pitch unlike last week.
Considering Saka and Rice are expected to occupy positions in or near the final third, the responsibility will lie on the Gunners technician to lead from the front by playing the game as per how it suits the visitors.
What is Martin Odegaard’s record vs Real Madrid?
What will appease Arsenal fans is that Odegaard has a solid, if not spectacular record while playing against Real Madrid as a player.
In four appearances against the Spanish giants, the £30 million () man has won and lost two games apiece.
Odegaard idolised Steven Gerrard growing up and he will have to replicate the legendary Liverpool skipper if he aims to make a mark on proceedings, albeit by playing his own way.
Despite a quiet first leg, it would be a fool’s errand to doubt the Drammen-born midfielder.