© Imago
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 3
Arsenal wins: 2
Draws: 1
Real Madrid wins: 0
In both competitive and non-competitive matches, Arsenal have not lost a single game to Real Madrid in 90 minutes. Yes, you read that right, Los Blancos have never beaten the Gunners in a senior men's match - unless a friendly penalty shootout counts.
The maiden meeting between Arsenal and Real Madrid produced one of the Gunners' greatest nights in their 139-year history, as they rocked up to the Bernabeu for the first leg of their 2005-06 Champions League last-16 tie and left with a sensational 1-0 win.
Two legendary strikers in Thierry Henry and Ronaldo were primed to share the Bernabeu spotlight, but it was the former who provided the moment of magic, embarking on one of his trademark scintillating solo runs and slotting the ball into the far corner.
A fortnight later, an Arsenal defence comprising Emmanuel Eboue, Philippe Senderos and Mathieu Flamini magnificently kept Ronaldo, Raul, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham at bay, as Arsene Wenger's men happily drew 0-0 to eliminate the perpetual European champions.
Arsenal are now on the cusp of doing so yet again, having astonishingly trounced Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their 2024-25 quarter-final, where two delightful Declan Rice free kicks preceded a Mikel Merino clincher at a euphoric Emirates.
The Gunners have technically gone five unbeaten in this fixture if friendly games are also factored into the equation, as they eked out a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the 2008 Emirates Cup thanks to an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty.
Eleven years later, Arsenal and Real reunited in the United States for a 2019 pre-season friendly in the International Champions Cup, where the Gunners took a 2-0 lead thanks to Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio clawed Los Blancos back into the tie.
Rather than shake hands on a 2-2 draw, however, the two clubs contested a penalty shootout, where Real Madrid triumphed 3-2 for their only 'victory' over Arsenal to date.
Last three meetings
Apr 08, 2025: Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid (Champions League Quarter-Final First Leg)
Mar 08, 2006: Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid (Champions League Last 16 Second Leg)
Feb 21, 2006: Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal (Champions League Last 16 First Leg)
Ben Knapton
