Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Can Prove Point On Real Madrid Return

A decade after failing to break through at Real Madrid , Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard can show his former side they were wrong not to give him enough opportunities to shine.

The 26-year-old Norwegian will lead Arsenal out at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, holding a 3-0 lead from the quarter-final first leg last week.

Real Madrid, reigning European champions under Zinedine Zidane's management, won the transfer tussle to sign him.

The initial deal was that the Scandinavian prodigy would train with the first team but play with the reserves while finding his footing.

'It was surreal. I wasn't old enough to drive, so my dad had to take me to training every day to play with Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, and Karim Benzema, as if he were dropping me off at school,' said Odegaard in 2023.