The They have already overcome some major sides this season but absences have plagued the campaign.

Red cards have been a regularity this season for Arteta and players like William Saliba and Declan Rice have missed big matches as a result.

However, the Champions League rules mean that players can get suspended for much more minor infractions.

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So far, Arsenal have two players at risk of picking up a yellow card in the tie at the Emirates Stadium and then missing the second leg in Madrid: Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. Raheem Sterling has already picked up three and as a result will not be in the side when they host Los Blancos.

However, the worry is that should Arsenal achieve what many see as the impossible and knock out Carlo Ancelotti’s stars, a yellow for either in the second leg would see them miss the first leg of a potential semi-final. Arsenal have a number of others also on a single yellow.

Should they pick up a booking across both legs and Arsenal progress they would therefore miss the next leg. The list includes: Thomas Partey, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Magalhaes, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Jakub Kiwior.

Timber is also at risk from Premier League suspension as he has seven yellow cards. The threshold for the 10-card marker is matchday 32, so should Timber get booked in matchdays 30, 31 and 32 he would get a two-game ban - although this does look unlikely at this stage.

Yellow card suspension tallies are wiped after the quarter-finals and matchday 32 in the Champions League and Premier League respectively. Arteta will need Rice and Timber to be on their best behaviour while dealing with some of the world’s best players in a couple of weeks’ time.