The Arsenal star crucial to exposing huge Real Madrid weakness - and it's not Bukayo Saka

Arsenal's 2024/25 season will ultimately be defined by their success in the Champions League with a quarter-final tie against Real Madrid the first task. Injuries have seen the Gunners struggle for consistency with Liverpool comfortably leading the Premier League and Mikel Arteta's side knocked out of the FA Cup in an earlier round.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Ben White have all missed significant periods of the campaign but Arteta could soon have all three available for the first time in five months. The latter duo have featured over the last few weeks and now Saka is on course to return from a hamstring injury just in time to face Madrid.

Having returned to training over the March international break, Saka could first feature in upcoming Premier League against Fulham and Everton before then starting the first leg at Emirates Stadium. Saka being at his best is a must if Arsenal want to advance, but it could actually be Martinelli that can play a key role in deciding the tie.

The 23-year-old has endured a mixed season, with seven goals and four assists to his name from 38 appearances, however he can be the key to exposing perhaps Madrid's biggest worry.

The absence of Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao because of serious knee injuries has seen big changes made on the right of Madrid's defence and Martinelli's pace is a huge trait that can take advantage of those.

In the last round, Federico Valverde was deployed at right back with Raul Asencio just inside him at centre-back alongside Antonio Rudiger. Lucas Vasquez has also been deployed at full-back and it was the Spaniard at fault for Leganes' equaliser in their La Liga clash against Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday evening.

Just eight minutes after that, the visitors took a shock lead with a goal for which defender Asencio could've done better. Ultimately, Madrid's quality in attack told as Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe both found the back of the net to seal a 3-2 victory.

However, Arsenal's strong defence will fancy their chances of preventing Madrid from scoring bundles of goals and if Martinelli can take advantage of clear frailties on his side, the Gunners could be set for some real joy going forward.

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