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Arsenal without key players
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Don't be fooled by Real Madrid's weekend defeat
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Visitors to win or draw at 1.845/6
Tuesday Football Superboost
Before his injury Bukayo Saka was often among the shots for Arsenal as well as being a main contender to be foulded. In fact, in eight of his last 10 starts for the Gunners Saka registered at least one shot on target as well as being fouled at least once in the same game.
Against Real Madrid on Tuesday night you can back Saka to have one or more shot on target and to be fouled one or more times at the super-boosted price of 1/1 (from 8/13). To take advantage just click on the odd in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.
Back Bukayo Saka 1+ Shot on Target & to be Fouled 1+ times. Was 8/13
Watch Footbal...Only Bettor midweek special
Arsenal v Real Madrid
Tuesday 08 April, 20:00
Live on Amazon Prime Video
We made a winning start to the week, as Braga drew 1-1 at Sporting with a late equaliser that dented the hosts' bid to retain the Primeira Liga title.
Now we switch to the Champions League, and Arsenal's clash with champions Real Madrid. The Gunners fell at this hurdle last season against Bayern Munich, and they are desperate to save a frustrating campaign.
The Gunners are 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool with just seven matchdays remaining, and Saturday's 1-1 draw at Everton was hugely frustrating for manager Mikel Arteta, not least because his team had an incredibly soft penalty given against them when Miles Lewis-Skelly tangled with Jack Harrison in the penalty area.
Perhaps much more damaging was the news that key centre-back Gabriel will miss the rest of the season with injury. The Brazilian's partnership with William Saliba is the bedrock upon which the Arsenal team is built, and there is a startling drop-off when Jakub Kiwior fills in.
Arsenal are 2.166/5 to win this on the Betfair Exchange, and that seems incredibly short to me, despite Real Madrid's current run of form. Los Merengues lost 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Valencia at the weekend, having also lost the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg 4-3 at home to Real Sociedad in normal time, before making it 4-4 in extra time to reach the final.
However, it's worth considering that Real Madrid blew away Manchester City in the playoff round, before edging out an incredibly good Atletico Madrid on penalties in the last 16. In Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo they have players with proven track records at this level, while Jude Bellingham is still a force of nature in midfield.
The Valencia defeat was largely down to Real Madrid missing a host of chances, including an early penalty from Vinicius Junior, and they were dealt a hammer blow right at the end, as Hugo Duro (who always seems to score against Real Madrid) netted a last-gasp winner.
But we've seen this movie before, with Carlo Ancelotti's men being prematurely written off, and then going on to deliver a stunning display in this competition. Arsenal have star player Bukayo Saka back, but the loss of Gabriel is enormously important, and at the other end of the pitch they are still having to field Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre-forward.
Arsenal have only won four of their last ten games in all competitions, and they have only kept three clean sheets in that spell. I can't see them containing Real Madrid for 90 minutes here, especially with Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori out injured. I'll back Real/Draw Double Chance at 1.845/6, which means we win if Arsenal don't.
Back Real Madrid/Draw Double Chance @