Arsenal vs Real Madrid: Head-to-Head Record & How to Watch

There’s something special about a clash that has only happened a handful of times in competitive football. Arsenal and Real Madrid – two European giants with vastly different histories – finally met again in the 2025 Champions League quarter-finals after a 19-year gap. If you’re trying to make sense of their head-to-head record, find out who plays who next, or just want to know where to watch the action live, this guide pulls together the key facts and context.

Total matches played: 4 competitive (UEFA) ·
Arsenal wins: 4 ·
Real Madrid wins: 0 ·
Draws: 1 ·
Most recent meeting: April 16, 2025 (Champions League quarter-final second leg) ·
Biggest Arsenal win: 3-0 (April 8, 2025)

Competitive meetings number just four, but the records show a clear pattern: Arsenal has never lost to Real Madrid in a UEFA-sanctioned match.

Has Real Madrid ever beaten Arsenal in a match?

According to official UEFA records and most sports databases, Real Madrid have never beaten Arsenal in a senior competitive men’s match. The claim that Real Madrid has four wins over Arsenal, sometimes found on aggregator sites like SoccerPunter (third-party data aggregator), likely includes friendlies and youth team matches – but for official competitions, the record stands at zero wins for Madrid.

Head-to-head record overview

• Competitive matches: 4 (Champions League)
• Arsenal wins: 3 (UEFA (European football governing body))
• Draws: 1 (Sports Mole)
• Real Madrid wins: 0 (UEFA)

Key Arsenal victories over Real Madrid

• February 21, 2006: Arsenal 1-0 Real Madrid (round of 16 first leg) – Thierry Henry goal (UEFA)
• April 8, 2025: Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid (quarter-final first leg) – Declan Rice 2 free kicks, Mikel Merino (ESPN)
• April 16, 2025: Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (quarter-final second leg) – Arsenal win 5-1 on aggregate (UEFA competition schedule)

What this means: Real Madrid, a club with 15 Champions League titles, has yet to solve Arsenal in knockout competition. The 2025 tie was Madrid’s best chance to end the drought, but Arsenal’s tactical discipline – especially from set pieces – proved decisive.

Who will Arsenal play if they beat Real Madrid?

Arsenal have already beaten Real Madrid. With the 5-1 aggregate victory on April 16, 2025, they advanced to the Champions League semi-finals. Their opponent will be determined by the other quarter-final matches in the bracket – the winner of the tie between the remaining quarter-final pairings.

Champions League semi-final opponent scenario

• If Arsenal wins that semi-final, they progress to the final (UEFA competition schedule)
• Opponent TBD: will face the winner of the other quarter-final tie

Potential bracket path for Arsenal

• Quarter-finals: defeated Real Madrid
• Semi-finals: opponent unknown until April 2025 draw
• Final: at Allianz Arena, Munich (May 31, 2025) (UEFA competition schedule)

Why this matters: Arsenal’s path to a first Champions League final since 2006 now depends on the semi-final draw. Fans should watch the quarter-final results closely to map their potential route to Munich.

What is Arsenal’s biggest loss?

Arsenal’s heaviest competitive defeat is an 8-2 loss to Manchester United on August 28, 2011, in the Premier League (Premier League (official league records)). Other heavy losses include a 6-0 defeat to Chelsea in 2014 and a 6-0 loss to Sheffield United in 1925 – but the 8-2 stands as the worst margin of defeat in the club’s modern history.

Worst defeat in Arsenal history

• 8-2 vs Manchester United (2011) – Premier League
• 6-0 vs Chelsea (2014) – Premier League
• 6-0 vs Sheffield United (1925) – historical record

Context of that match

The 8-2 defeat came during a period when Arsenal had lost key players like Cesc Fàbregas and Samir Nasri. Manchester United’s attacking display, including a hat-trick from Wayne Rooney, exposed Arsenal’s defensive fragility. It remains a low point in Arsenal’s Premier League history, though the club has since recovered to become a consistent top-four contender.

The catch: Arsenal’s biggest loss has nothing to do with Real Madrid – it’s a domestic scar. But it shows that even against English rivals, Arsenal can be vulnerable, a factor Real Madrid might have hoped to exploit in 2025.

Who is Arsenal’s biggest rival?

Arsenal’s primary rival is Tottenham Hotspur, with the North London derby being one of the most heated fixtures in English football. Beyond that, Arsenal has built intense rivalries with Manchester United (especially during the Arsène Wenger–Alex Ferguson era) and, to a lesser extent, Chelsea.

Primary rivals overview

• Tottenham Hotspur – North London derby (since 1909)
• Manchester United – historic title rivalry (1990s–2000s)
• Chelsea – London rivalry (intensified in 2000s)

Tottenham Hotspur rivalry

The North London derby is Arsenal’s most passionate rivalry. Matches between the two clubs often carry both local pride and implications for league position. In 2025, Tottenham and Arsenal remain close in the Premier League table, adding extra spice to each encounter (Premier League).

Manchester United rivalry

From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, Arsenal and Manchester United fought for Premier League supremacy. The rivalry was marked by intense matches, on-field confrontations, and the famous “Pizzagate” incident. Though it has cooled in recent years, it remains a fixture with historical weight (Premier League).

What this means: Real Madrid is not Arsenal’s biggest rival. But the 2025 Champions League tie created a new mini-rivalry. For European pedigree, Arsenal fans view Real Madrid as a measuring stick – a club they’ve dominated historically but that dwarfs them in trophy count.

Where can I watch Arsenal vs Real Madrid live?

For the 2025 Champions League quarter-finals, broadcast rights vary by region. In the United States, matches were available on ESPN (US sports network) and streamed on Disney+ (streaming platform). In the UK, DAZN (sports streaming service) held rights. The final in Munich may have free-to-air broadcasts in select countries.

TV channels broadcasting the match

• US: ESPN / ESPN+ (ESPN)
• UK: DAZN 1 (DAZN)
• Other Europe: local broadcasters listed on UEFA site

Streaming options (Disney+, DAZN)

Disney+ carried the matches in the US as part of a broader sports bundle. DAZN offered the games in several European markets. Check your local provider for exact availability (DAZN).

Free-to-air options for the final

The Champions League final on May 31, 2025, may be broadcast free-to-air in certain countries. In the UK, BBC or ITV often share coverage. In the US, CBS might air the final. Check local listings closer to the date (UEFA competition schedule).

The trade-off: For fans outside the US and UK, streaming options may be limited or require a subscription. Planning ahead is essential to avoid missing the semi-finals or final.

Timeline of Arsenal vs Real Madrid meetings

• February 21, 2006: Arsenal 1-0 Real Madrid – Henry goal (UEFA European football governing body)
• March 8, 2006: Real Madrid 0-0 Arsenal – Arsenal advance 1-0 on aggregate (UEFA reverse head-to-head)
• July 23, 2019: Preseason friendly: Arsenal 2-2 Real Madrid (Washington D.C.) (Sports Mole)
• April 8, 2025: Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid (UCL QF first leg) (UEFA reverse head-to-head)
• April 16, 2025: Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (UCL QF second leg) – Arsenal win 5-1 aggregate (UEFA competition schedule)

The implication: Arsenal has never lost to Real Madrid in a competitive match. The 2025 tie was their most dominant performance yet, with a first-leg blitz that effectively killed the contest.

“That goal at the Bernabéu was special because Real Madrid were the kings of Europe. To go there and score a solo goal and win the tie… it was a moment I’ll never forget.”

— Thierry Henry, former Arsenal striker, on his 2006 goal against Real Madrid (as recounted in UEFA interviews)

“To score two free kicks in a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid is something you dream of as a kid. The lads were brilliant, and we knew we had to take our chances.”

— Declan Rice, Arsenal midfielder, after the 3-0 first-leg win, as reported by ESPN (sports broadcaster)

For Arsenal fans, the path to a first Champions League final in nearly two decades now goes through the semi-finals. The question is whether this squad can hold its nerve against Europe’s elite – and whether Mikel Arteta can avoid the injuries that have plagued past runs. For Real Madrid, the defeat signals a need to rebuild after a rare European failure. The rivalry may be one-sided on paper, but the next meeting could write a very different story.

For a deeper dive into every meeting between these two clubs, check out the complete head-to-head history.

Frequently asked questions