Veteran Nollywood actor Chinedu Ikedieze, popularly known as Aki, has weighed in on the upcoming UEFA Champions League second-leg clash between Real Madrid and Arsenal and he’s not putting his money on the Gunners.
In an exclusive chat with BestLagos ahead of the much-anticipated fixture in Spain, the beloved screen star expressed doubt over Arsenal’s chances of upsetting the Spanish giants, stressing the unpredictability of football and how injuries or unexpected moments could change the game.
Asked if he could bet a huge amount on Arsenal to win the second leg, Ikedieze responded:
“There is no need betting on Arsenal, as in betting whether they will win. This is football, and injury can mar a team. So, I can’t tell you now that I will start betting on them, for what? Even if you bet on the best team in the world, you bet on C Ronaldo, the prolific penalty taker, he will still miss penalty. Even the likes of Ronaldo Delima, Messi too, all of them they all miss penalties. And these are great men. In academics, they should have like 5 Doctorate Degrees. They should be professors now.
So, it will be an overstatement if I start telling you now that I will bet on Arsenal winning their second leg against Real Madrid in Spain. Let’s just watch. Let’s see the game. Let’s give ourselves a few days from today, and we will watch the game and see what happens.”
Arsenal had stunned Real Madrid with a convincing 3-0 victory in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium and will now travel to Spain for the decisive second leg this Wednesday.
His remarks mirror the cautious optimism of many fans who admire Arsenal’s current form but remain wary of Real Madrid’s Champions League pedigree. With both teams eyeing a spot in the semifinals, all eyes will be on Spain when the whistle blows.
