Ex-Arsenal star who has experience beating Real Madrid has two essential messages

Emmanuel Eboue has urged to score as many as they can against at the Emirates Stadium, while keeping a tight defensive line against the current holders. The former Gunner, who was part of the squad who made it all the way to a European final in the 2005/06 season, has sent some crucial advice to the current squad ahead of their first leg against on Tuesday night.

was an impressive figure in red and white from 2005 until 2011, making 214 appearances and scoring 10 goals from right-back, as well as assisting 20 times in his tenure in north London.

The Ivorian was part of the squad that featured , , Cesc Fabregas, Robert Pires and, all of whom started in the 2006 final against .

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Despite losing 2-1 on the night, with goals from Campbell for the Gunners and both Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti securing the win for Barca, Eboue knows a thing or two about how to win tough games in Europe.

In Arsenal's run to the 2006 final, they beat a strong side in the round of 16 1-0 to go through to the quarter-finals. The LaLiga side produced icons like Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos, David Beckham and Ronaldo Nazario in their starting line-up - but Eboue and the rest of his defensive line kept the European giants out and advanced in the competition.

Being strong at the back is the advice the Ivorian is giving to the current Arsenal squad, as he told that it is crucial the home team do not concede any goals this evening. His other aim for the Gunners is for them to find the net as much as they can tonight, to take a healthy lead over to the Santiago Bernabeu next week.

Eboue said: "People think it’ll be easy for Arsenal at home because Real Madrid haven’t been at their best, but as I said - Real Madrid are Real Madrid."

"We have to play our football, give our best, and take the chances that come our way. Every chance must be converted because the second leg is at the Bernabeu. It’s crucial to score as much as we can at the Emirates and not concede."

While Eboue has argued that he believes Arsenal will be the better team on the night, Madrid could still sneak out of north London with a win due to their history of domination in the competition in recent years. He added: "I’ve watched Real Madrid a few times this season. They don’t really play well, but they win. That’s the problem for Arsenal.

"They have great players, so even when the team doesn’t play well, in the end, they still win. You can see Mbappe scoring two goals, Vinicius making key passes, and Bellingham producing moments of magic. Arsenal have played well in every game. To be honest, this year I feel they’ve performed well every time, and I’ve really enjoyed watching them play. They play very good football."

Eboue also pointed out Arsenal's recent defensive woes in the Premier League, despite conceding less goals so far this season compared to last. In the 2023/24 season, Mikel Arteta's side let in just 29 goals all campaign, and they have conceded 26 so far this year - meaning they could end up with a worse record this year as there are still seven games left to play.

The 41-year-old has spotted this worrying trend, as he added: "A problem this year has been that they’ve conceded more than last season. Last year, they were very compact and didn’t concede as much. This year, they’ve let in more goals, and that’s not good.

"In the game against Real Madrid, Arsenal will be the better team, but they’ll have to be careful—because Real Madrid are still Real Madrid."

However, the former Arsenal star has highlighted one player that could be their shining light - Jakub Kiwior. The 25-year-old is likely to be in from the start against Madrid, given that William Saliba's usual centre-half partner Gabriel is ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The Polish defender has made 19 appearances for the club so far this season, including six in the Champions League - four from the start and two from the bench.

Eboue has called on Saliba to be Kiwior's support in Tuesday's match, and believes the duo can be what Arsenal need to continue in the competition.

He said: "You know what? If Kiwior plays for Arsenal, it means he is a good player. So, for me, Saliba has to help Kiwior a lot. He doesn’t play often, and it will be difficult for him to face Mbappe, Vinicius, or Bellingham—who, to be honest, is everywhere on the pitch.

"I think Saliba, with his experience, has to support Kiwior in this game."

The first leg of Arsenal vs Real Madrid will kick off at 8pm on Tuesday evening at the Emirates Stadium, with the away leg scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 at 8pm.