Arsenal star sends transfer message to Real Madrid after Sporting clash

Martin Zubimendi shut down speculation over a potential transfer move to Real Madrid after Arsenal progressed to the Champions League semi-finals, insisting such talk was ‘in the past’.

The 27-year-old midfielder came away with the Player of the Match award as Arsenal edged past Sporting to secure a place in the last four of this year’s competition, keeping their hopes of a double alive in the process.

It was a largely turgid and cagey affair over the course of the two legs, with Kai Havertz’s last-gasp strike in Lisbon proving the difference after Wednesday’s meeting at the Emirates ended goalless.

The Gunners started brightly in north London but a nervousness came over the home crowd as the visitors gained a foothold in the game, hitting the post through Geny Catamo before Maxi Araujo went close from inside the area.

Arsenal’s best opportunity fell to second-half substitute Leandro Trossard, who headed against the woodwork from a corner as Sporting came up short in pursuit of a breakthrough late on.

The result saw Arsenal reach successive Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history, setting up what promises to be an intriguing tie against Atletico Madrid.

Mikel Arteta’s men will head to Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium for the first leg on April 29. The two teams will resume their battle six days later at the Emirates on May 5.

Speaking on Spanish radio station Cadena SER shortly after the final whistle, Zubimendi said he was expecting a ‘different’ kind of contest against Atleti following Arsenal’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Diego Simeone’s side in the league phase.

‘I already know them [Atletico Madrid] well, and they have a match against Real Sociedad this weekend, so we’ll see how it goes,’ Zubimendi told the El Larguero programme.

‘Anyway, I think they’re in great form, with a lot of confidence and spirit, as is typical of Atletico Madrid.

‘We already know them from the group stage but this will be different.’

Asked if he will be watching this weekend’s Copa del Rey final between Atleti and former club Real Sociedad, Zubimendi replied: ‘To the death, to the death, obviously.

‘I’ll put it on at dinner.’

Real Madrid had been credited with a strong interest in Zubimendi before the Spain international joined Arsenal in a deal worth around £56million last summer.

And despite still only being in his debut season with the Gunners, the rumours have persisted in Zubimendi’s native country, with Los Blancos reportedly in the market for midfield reinforcements.

‘I have no answer, but I haven’t been paying much attention to all that,’ Zubimendi said in response to these rumours linking him with Madrid, who were eliminated by Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s other clash.

‘I think that’s all in the past and I have other things on my mind. It’s not a bad thing.’

Speaking after Arsenal’s progression, Arteta made sure to highlight how his squad had made history by reaching the semi-final stage for a second time in as many years.

‘It’s a great night, I’m so proud of everybody at the club,’ he told Arsenal’s official website.

‘Thank you to our supporters for the manner in which they followed the team. It’s the first time we’ve [reached the semi-finals consecutively] in 140 years, so that tells you the difficulty and magnitude of what we’ve done. 

‘I think we don’t realise it now, but we’ll realise it in a few years, so don’t take for granted what we’ve done.

‘It’s extremely difficult to achieve, and it’s never been achieved [by ourselves], so big gratitude to our players and everyone who’s contributed to achieving that.’

On Arsenal’s overall performance over the two legs, ‘We’re not perfect, we want to improve in every area.

‘But we have two magical nights to play against Atletico and we’re certainly going to prepare well for that.

‘We’ll take things from [Arsenal’s win over Atleti in October] and games they have played recently, but we’re going to have to go to Madrid, be ourselves, and compete in the manner we have – and then we’ll have a big chance to win it.’

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