“This club can beat anybody over two legs” - Joe Cole makes bold claim about Arsenal vs Real Madrid in Champions League

Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole backed Arsenal bullishly to make a statement against Real Madrid. The two sides are set to face off in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Despite their massive 9-3 win over two legs against PSV, Mikel Arteta's men will certainly enter the tie as the underdogs. They go up against a Real Madrid squad filled with European pedigree who have also been excellent in recent weeks. However, they needed a shootout to edge past Atletico Madrid in what was a closely-contested tie.

Cole said (via TNT Sports):

"This team and this club (Arsenal) can beat anybody over two legs,’ Cole told TNT Sports after Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against PSV in the second leg. There’s a lot of holes in their squad at the moment, they haven’t got a recognised striker. A lot of injuries. But sometimes that can galvanise you."

"Sometimes, something will click, there will be a moment and they’ll go, ‘Right lads, we have an opportunity here,"' he added.

Arsenal remain without a proper striker owing to injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus but could be boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli by the time the tie occurs. With success in the domestic level looking unlikely, the UCL represents the only silverware the side can lift this season.

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Analysing Arsenal and Real Madrid's route to UCL quarterfinals ahead of face-off

Arsenal and Real Madrid will play against each other in the last eight of the Champions League having booked their spots with victories in the Round of 16.

Mikel Arteta's men have had an excellent continental campaign up until this point. They were one of the best sides in the group stage, finishing third with six wins, one draw, and one loss each. Notably, their defensive solidity was key as they conceded just three goals.

They squared off against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven and beat them comfortably on the back of a 7-1 drubbing in the first leg. It was followed by a 2-2 draw at home in the second leg.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, have had a much more trying route to the clash. They finished 11th in the group stage, with defeats to AC Milan, Lille, and Liverpool denying them a direct qualification.

A huge tie against Manchester City followed but Los Blancos were brilliant across both legs in the qualifiers, winning 6-3 on aggregate. Ancelotti's men then faced city rivals Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16, winning the first leg 2-1 but losing the second 1-0 as the fixture headed to penalties. They held their nerve and qualified, securing a match against Arsenal.

The two teams have faced off only once previously in the tournament, with the North Londoners coming out victorious. It was in the Round of 16 of the 2005-06 edition of the tournament that saw them win 1-0 at the Bernabeu with Thierry Henry's goal and then close it out at home with a 0-0 draw.