Real Madrid have been flying lately, and their next big test of the season will come in December, when they face Arsenal at the Emirates in the Champions League. The Gunners are one of just two teams Real Madrid have played against but not beaten in the competition, and Jose Mourinho would be aiming to change that at a stadium where he was quite infamous.
Real Madrid have played Arsenal four times in their history, two of which they lost, and the other two games were draws a couple of decades ago. To say that this curse needs to be broken is an understatement, as Real Madrid would need to be at their absolute best to have a chance of beating the English champions.
Arda Guler has the ability to slice open any defense, which is something Real Madrid would need vs Arsenal
However, a big part of whatever chance they would have of winning the game would come from Arda Guler, who has been exemplary this season. Guler has been in fine form, forcing his way into Real Madrid's starting XI after a string of brilliant performances, dating back to July of this year, when the team was prepping for the season under Mourinho.
Guler has performed exceptionally since the pre-season friendlies, and the style of play he brings to the team, coupled with the huge improvements he and the team have made over the course of the season so far, would give Real Madrid their biggest chance of winning against Arsenal on the night.
Obviously, it is a lot easier said than done, but the truth is that Real Madrid need Guler to be able to break Arsenal's strong backline. They need him to play in between the lines so that he is able to slice Arsenal's defense open and hopefully cause some chaos in the final third. He is the player who can create something out of nothing through a brilliant pass, and that would be key against Arsenal, who have shown in these last couple of seasons just how dominant they are defensively.
Obviously, there are other areas where Real Madrid have improved too. Yan Diomande is a much better presence on the left now, while Jude Bellingham is playing in his preferred role. Their defense has improved tremendously with Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen, while their midfield finally has some ball retention and control.
These factors will undoubtedly come to play in December when the two giants clash, but Guler could prove to be Real Madrid's X-factor.
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