Former Arsenal star sends Jurrien Timber message ahead of Vinicius Jr battle

Former star has sent a message to ahead of next week's showdown against Real Madrid.

The Gunners boast a three-goal advantage heading into next week's second leg at the Bernabeu. and were the heroes in the first leg of the quarter-final tie at the Emirates Stadium earlier this week, but Timber played more than 90 minutes and was tasked with keeping Vinicius Junior quiet.

Timber, along with the rest of Arsenal's defence, held firm as they reduced their opponent to just three attempts on target. It was one of the lowest they have had in a match in any competition this season.

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Ahead of next week's second leg, former Gunner Nelson shared a message on Instagram with a package of his clothing brand ‘rivrslide’. The parcel is addressed to Timber, along with the message: "Of course he is locking up wingers for fun,"

While Carlo Ancelotti will be without Eduardo Camavinga following the midfielder's red card in the first leg, he will have the likes of Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe available for selection. The Brazilian has scored 19 goals and registered 14 assists so far this season, with seven of those goals coming in the Champions League.

Timber will once again be tasked with keeping him quiet as Arsenal hope to reach their first semi-final in the competition since the 2008/09 season. The furthest the club has ever progressed in Europe was the final in 2006, but they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona at the Stade De France.

Should Mikel Arteta’s side reach the last four, they will face the winner of Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain. The French side currently lead 3–1 on aggregate, making them the most likely contenders for the next round.