Arsenal's Odegaard can prove point on Real Madrid return

The 26-year-old Norwegian will lead Arsenal out at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, holding a 3-0 lead from the quarter-final first leg last week. Billed as a 'wonderkid', arriving at the world's biggest club in 2015 seemed too much pressure for the then 16-year-old to handle. The left-footed midfield playmaker was coveted across Europe after showing promise at Stromsgodset, in his native Norway.

Real Madrid, reigning European champions under Zinedine Zidane's management, won the transfer tussle to sign him. The initial deal was that the Scandinavian prodigy would train with the first team but play with the reserves while finding his footing.

"It was surreal. I wasn't old enough to drive, so my dad had to take me to training every day to play with Isco, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Sergio) Ramos, (Luka) Modric, (Gareth) Bale, and (Karim) Benzema, as if he were dropping me off at school," said Odegaard in 2023. It was near impossible for him to make his mark at the club with so many stars in his way, despite his clear potential.

"When he arrived, he was very young - there was no room for him in the team," said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti last week. "Up front we had Ronaldo, Benzema, James Rodriguez, and he couldn't find the space to show his qualities." Odegaard has made his peace with what happened during his years with the record 15-time Champions League winners and current holders.

"I understand why it didn't work out today... I was just a kid," he said. "I put too much pressure on myself and stopped playing with the spark that runs through my game. "I worried more about not making mistakes, while my game has always been about making a difference, attempting the difficult pass."

Road back to the top

Odegaard had loan spells at Heerenveen and Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, before finally blossoming at Real Sociedad, convincing Real Madrid to give him his chance in the 2020-21 season. However once again the competition was fierce, and the handful of minutes the then 19-year-old was given were not enough for his father and agent, Hans Erik.

Arsenal, undergoing a revolution after the arrival of Spaniard Mikel Arteta, reached an agreement with Madrid for another loan, and later splashed out 35 million euros ($40 million) to make Odegaard their new star. The Norwegian international would quickly become captain of the Gunners, following the departures of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, establishing himself as one of the best players in the Premier League.

Odegaard returns to the Bernabeu as a key figure for Arsenal, hoping to drive them into their first semi-final appearance since 2009 as well as vindicating his decision to try his luck further afield.