“I’m supporting Arsenal to win but I know fully well that there’s still a big problem but if Arteta make this changes then it’s over”: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick advised Mikel Arteta to make two changes if he want to beat Real Madrid like Barcelona
Real Madrid have an unlikely backer from Barcelona in their quest to beat Arsenal in the Champions League.
The Gunners are leading 3-0 from the first leg at the Emirates, and Madrid will have to stage an improbable comeback to defend their European crown.
Those from Catalonia will be hoping Arsenal get the job done, except for Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro.
Speaking to Sky Germany ahead of a 0-0 Bundesliga draw with Union Berlin, the Spaniard admitted: “I would have preferred Real Madrid to have won by a wide margin and for the manager’s situation to be resolved.
“It’s normal in football that, when a club like Real Madrid loses 3-0 against Arsenal in the quarter-finals, rumours start to circulate.
“It’s understandable, and frankly, I would have preferred to avoid all that speculation and see a dominant Real Madrid performance.”
Carro was referring to Carlo Ancelotti’s precarious situation at the Bernabeu, with his own coach, Xabi Alonso, linked as a replacement.
Real Madrid are flirting with the prospect of a trophyless season, not just in Europe, but seven points behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona despite a game in hand.
They are through to the Copa del Rey final, though, where they face Barca in Sevilla on April 26.
However, that won’t do anything to calm the pressure around Ancelotti, who has a contract until 2026 but is increasingly being blamed for Madrid’s failures.
He’s also regularly linked with the Brazil national team before the 2026 World Cup, and that role is now vacant after Dorval Júnior was sacked after a 4-1 defeat to Argentina.
Much like Ancelotti, Alonso also has a contract until 2026, but given Carro’s comments, the might of Madrid may well convince him to leave.
The situation was similar last year when Alonso was linked to three of his former clubs – Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
Yet in late March, he announced that he would be staying for another season, leaving that trio of clubs to look elsewhere.
Such an announcement hasn’t come this season, neither has such success.
In Alonso’s first full season of senior coaching, he led Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title and secured the league’s first unbeaten campaign.
He added a DFB-Pokal to his trophy count and was one game away from a treble before losing for the first time in the Europa League final against Atalanta.
This term Leverkusen have been knocked out of Europe and made a shock exit in the semi-final of the cup to third tier Arminia Bielefeld.
Six points off Bundesliga leaders Bayern with five games to play, it looks like Alonso may well be heading for a trophyless campaign, making Madrid’s advances even more enticing.
