Martin Odegaard has no ill feelings towards Real Madrid and isn’t motivated by the opportunity for revenge ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg.
Simon Collings reports for The Standard that Martin Odegaard has no ill feelings towards Real Madrid, and the player doesn’t have revenge on his mind as he prepares to return to the Bernabeu.
The player reportedly still speaks to some people he knew at his old club, and he holds no animosity over his time there.
Instead, Odegaard’s focus is just on helping Arsenal to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009, and the hope is to eventually lift the trophy for the first time as a captain at the north London club.
Though Odegaard isn’t looking for revenge, Wednesday is viewed as the perfect opportunity for the player to turn around a difficult season. The midfielder is reportedly well aware of his dip in form, and he wants to put it right in the final months of the 2024/25 campaign.
Despite his injury and subsequent struggles for consistency, Odegaard does still have five goals and eight assists for Arsenal this season.
That includes five goal contributions in eight matches in the Champions League, so he’s played his part in helping the team to reach this stage.
But things aren’t going to get any easier. If Arsenal can navigate the small matter of getting a result at the home of the 15-time champions of the competition, they have a two-legged tie against PSG to navigate before a final against either FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, or Bayern Munich.
Mikel Arteta needs every member of his squad to keep raising their levels, and that starts with his captain.