Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brentford over the weekend didn’t just feel like a missed opportunity—it felt like a turning point. With the Premier League title now seemingly out of reach, all the emotional and competitive weight of the season has shifted onto one defining night in Madrid.
In truth, many Arsenal fans may have seen this coming. The energy around the Brentford fixture at the Emirates lacked the electricity of the midweek Champions League triumph over Real Madrid. That 3-0 masterclass against the Spanish giants ignited hopes of European glory, but the domestic follow-up was underwhelming. You could sense it even before kickoff—a kind of emotional hangover, a drop in intensity that even the return to home turf couldn’t disguise.
“I completely expected Arsenal not to win this game,” admitted one observer. “Not because they’re a poor side or the rotation was too much, but just the energy of the afternoon wasn’t there. Brentford are a good side, and the Gunners have struggled against them before.”
Mikel Arteta, however, was quick to dismiss the idea that the looming second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu served as a distraction for his players.
“The way the feeling was with the players, certainly not,” Arteta insisted post-match. “To prepare well you have to play as well as possible and win the next game. We are disappointed with the result. We had full control and conceded a very poor goal. It was not good enough.”
The draw leaves Arsenal 10 points adrift of Liverpool, who have a game in hand. It’s a cruel twist for a side that had looked, for months, like a genuine title contender. But recent form tells a different story—just two wins in their last seven league games has turned what was once a thrilling race into something of a procession for the Merseyside club.
“We play every three days and are used to it, so there is not an excuse of energy,” Arteta continued, clearly frustrated by any suggestion of fatigue or mental lapses. “The attitude, if you see at the end, we had to play with 10 men and still had two big chances to score. You cannot say it is about energy.”
And he’s not entirely wrong. Even after being reduced to ten men due to a late injury to Jorginho—who may now miss the return leg in Madrid—the Gunners had chances to win. Bukayo Saka, usually so clinical, hesitated at the crucial moment after dispossessing Brentford keeper Mark Flekken. A first-time strike might have secured three points, but instead, doubt lingered where confidence should have prevailed.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the broader context. This game came sandwiched between two enormous European nights, and while Arteta may deny any distraction, the sense within the stadium was unmistakable. The atmosphere wasn’t poor—it was just different. There was no buzz, no urgency like there had been just days earlier when Real Madrid visited North London. The chants, the Tifos, the energy—it all belonged to Europe now.
“Was it the same as Tuesday night? No,” Arteta admitted. “The atmosphere was different. I don’t know if it was playing in the back of the crowd. For us as professionals, we know the importance of that.”
That shift in energy and focus is understandable. A Champions League semifinal spot is on the line. And with a three-goal advantage going into the Bernabéu, Arsenal have a golden opportunity to make a statement on the biggest stage. But the risk is high. If things unravel in Spain, the narrative around Arsenal’s season could shift dramatically—from potential historic success to another campaign of “what ifs.”
Even a second-place league finish, once a bare minimum target, is no longer guaranteed. The gap between Arsenal and seventh place is the same as the one separating them from Liverpool. A few more domestic stumbles could drag them into a fight they didn’t expect to have—one for Champions League qualification rather than silverware.
Arteta acknowledged this fine line: “There are a lot of reasons why we are with that distance to Liverpool and the amount of things that we have to deal with. And still, we are where we are. But yeah, we want to be higher, that’s for sure.”
Injuries have played their part, with the likes of Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Mikel Merino rotated or sidelined, hinting at the manager’s priorities. Now with Jorginho potentially out with a rib injury—”He said he couldn’t breathe properly,” Arteta revealed—it adds another complication to a midfield already under strain.
Yet all of this will fade into the background if Arsenal do what’s needed in Madrid. The magic of the Bernabéu has broken many sides, but it also offers a platform to elevate a team into legend. That’s the gamble now. Arteta himself called it “the most beautiful game of the season.”
The Gunners still have a chance to define this campaign on their own terms. But with the Premier League crown slipping away and the pressure mounting, their entire season may now hinge on what happens under the bright lights of Madrid. There is no more room for hesitation—only history left to chase.
Sources
- https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/mikel-arteta-faces-real-madrid-31412292?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target
- https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/arsenal-werent-distracted-by-real-madrid-in-brentford-draw-says-arteta/amp/
