Arsenal could potentially end up challenging for the Champions League crown, but will their failure to do so result in costing Mikel Arteta his job?

A quick browse through different social media channels before Arsenal’s quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid suggested nobody gave them a chance let alone predict a win. The formidable attacking setup of Real Madrid coupled with the injury to Gabriel Magalhaes right in the week leading up to that game tilted the predictions firmly in favour of the Spanish giants and current Champions League holders.

Little did anyone envisage that Mikel Arteta had a plan in his mind, which worked perfectly at the Emirates. Not only did the Spaniard quash the general predictions that Arsenal would sit back and play defensive football, but the Gunners instead pressed and attacked Real Madrid to a point that the giants of football gave up on staging a fight back after a point.

Two stellar free-kicks from Declan Rice, worthy enough to be hanged in the Louvre, gave Arsenal a ‘surprising’ lead. Mikel Merino then added a third following a spell of flowing football that Real Madrid had no answers for. All those three goals came in 15-16 minutes, as Arsenal also finished the game with glowing metrics from the game.

Real Madrid have never come back from such a deficit from a first-leg knockout round in the Champions League to put things back on track. Arsenal are one of the teams that barely concede more than two goals in the top-five leagues, which placed the Gunners as the clear favourites to reach the semifinals.

Yet, there was a widespread ‘PR’ on show that used terms like the ‘Bernabeu effect’, ‘Champions League heritage’ and ‘Remontada’ to put down Arsenal’s chances in the Spanish capital ahead of the second leg. However, it failed to shake Arsenal in any shape or form as Arteta’s charges put in another masterful display and barely allowed Ancelotti’s men any sniff at David Raya’s goal.

Real Madrid had no answer to Arsenal’s tactics and defensive nous despite boasting some of the most formidable attacking talents. For all the talk of Real Madrid being bad, the Gunners being this good should elevate their status as one of the teams running for this season’s Champions League, although should they fail to land the coveted European crown, will it mount pressure on Arteta’s tenure at Arsenal.

Champions League run spices up Arsenal’s season

Arsenal’s season has been much more memorable than many of their fans or even Arteta would have envisaged when it began. For starters, they were firmly expected to challenge for the Premier League title, and to an extent they were in the race until many weeks ago.

Injuries have taken a toll on their domestic season, with Arsenal missing one key star in all phases. Martin Odegaard missed a few months with an ankle problem, then Bukayo Saka followed suit with his three-month layoff. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Magalhaes have since been ruled out for the remainder of the season, while Gabriel Martinelli also missed a month with a hamstring problem.

Their season has had constant disruption not only through injuries but also some controversial officiating, which has certainly cost them points in the title race. While Arteta has done a phenomenal job keeping his team second on the Premier League table, and they might be on course to stay there.

While the season was heading towards another inconclusive end, the Champions League progression has spiced things up in North London. As they were given no chance whatsoever in their tie against Real Madrid, the idea that Arsenal are now in the semi-final has elevated their chances of actually winning the competition for the first time in their history.

Arsenal are not in the semi-finals by fluke, but rather due to their superb displays over the two legs against Real Madrid. The big question is if Arsenal fail to go over the line and falter either in the semi-final or final, does that mount fresh pressure on Arteta with regards to his job in the Emirates hot seat?

Does Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal future depend on UEFA Champions League glory?

There is an argument to be had that Mikel Arteta’s role might come under scrutiny if Arsenal fail to win the UEFA Champions League. There was a bigger cause for immediate action had Arsenal bottled their three-goal advantage and lost by a big margin against Real Madrid.

In hindsight, had Arsenal performed badly in the first leg and as expected, lost the tie on a decently big aggregate scoreline, nobody would have batted an eyelid. However, things have turned exponentially in the space of a week, after their two stellar performances against Real Madrid, as many are surprised by the way Arteta set his team up for the two legs.

Now, the new narrative around Arsenal and Mikel Arteta would be a push towards winning the Champions League, and it could be a ‘must’ to save the Spaniard his job. The rational explanation would be to see the bigger picture, as in actuality progression to the semi-final alone is progression under the Gunners boss.

Arsenal are indeed in a position to be deemed favourites to win the Champions League, although there are still big tests ahead. While they did put in a top-notch, professional display against Real Madrid, beating the current Champions League holders does not naturally mean Arsenal ‘must’ win the tournament.

PSG have knocked out soon-to-be Premier League champions Liverpool, who also happened to top the Champions League group. There is another argument here given Arsenal have already beaten the Parisians, although the circumstances of that game and the upcoming semifinals are totally different.

Even if they surpass PSG, they will still have to beat one of Inter Milan or Barcelona, as winning against Real Madrid is not the only reason why they ‘must’ lift the Champions League.

Arteta will surely come under some pressure for going another season without a major trophy, as three second-placed finishes in the Premier League will not bode well with a section of the fan base. Yet, given all the injuries and other factors, he has done a fantastic job in maintaining a level in the top flight.

As for the Champions League, they have already made progress in their quest to win the tournament for the first time in their history. On paper, they might have a good enough chance to do it this season, but failure to lift it at the end of May will not result in Arteta losing his job, as this team is reaching levels nobody expected three years ago, and the Spaniard is the big reason for this progression.