Real Madrid’s coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro with David Beckham during a training session in Madrid on Monday. (AFP)

Madrid: It is the last-chance saloon for Arsenal when they face a rejuvenated Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

For Arsene Wenger’s side, the game represents their only remaining hope of saving a season that is threatening to disintegrate around them and to make matters worse, they appear to have caught the Spaniards just when they have rediscovered their best form.

Arsenal are out of both English cups and are struggling in fifth place in the league, 25 points behind runaway leaders Chelsea.

A taxing injury list, a string of poor results and some off-field distractions complete a miserable picture for the Frenchman going into the club’s biggest game of the season.

Sol Campbell, who went missing for several days after being substituted in a 2-3 home defeat by West Ham United two weeks ago, is absent injured and though Kolo Toure is back from the African Nations Cup, the defence remains lightweight.

As so often before, Arsenal’s hopes appear to depend on Thierry Henry ? but with the club captain also perhaps distracted by daily media speculation about his future, it is a lot to ask of the France striker.

Real’s season has been the mirror image of Arsenal’s, a poor start giving way to a series of confident displays under new coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro.

They chalked up their sixth league win in a row with an easy 3-0 victory over struggling Alaves on Saturday and received a further boost with the return to action of captain Raul after three months out owing to a serious knee injury.

Ronaldo is set to make his first start for Real in a Champions League match this season, and Robinho has hit a rich vein of scoring form, notching up his 11th goal of the season in all competitions against Alaves.

If Raul plays he will become the first player to appear in 100 Champions League games ? he is the competition’s all-time leader scorer with 51.

Meanwhile, Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez said Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa poses the biggest threat to the European champions tie at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

Liverpool tried to buy the Portuguese international in the close-season before the deal collapsed at the last moment.

“We have talked about Simao many times. We know it will be difficult but we have confidence in facing him,” Benitez said.

“Simao is a good player and we need to control him. Maybe after these two games people in England may say he’s not so good ? that will mean we have done our job.”

Benfica knocked Manchester United out in their final group game by winning 2-1 at home and Benitez admires the way manager Ronald Koeman arranged his team to play on European nights.

Liverpool go into the tie in great form with a league win over Arsenal followed up by Saturday’s 1-0 win over Manchester United at Anfield, their first FA Cup win over their arch rivals for 85 years.

In Frankfurt, coach Felix Magath trusts the Bayern Munich medical department to perform another minor miracle by getting goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn fit for Tuesday’s tie against AC Milan.

Kahn suffered a badly-bruised thigh in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Hanover 96 and will remain doubtful until just before the opening leg of the first knockout round clash with last season’s beaten finalists.

Bayern, eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, have no reason to fear Milan after holding their own against Serie A leaders Juventus in the opening group stage ? winning the home game 2-1 and losing the return by the same scoreline.

“Kahn’s swelling got worse overnight,” the coach revealed on Sunday. “I’m hopeful, though, because I know our medical department. They’ll pull it off.”

Kahn himself is not so confident.

“It’s very painful,” Kahn said. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

The 36-year-old ’keeper has been in inspired form since the turn of the year, providing a stream of top class saves to safeguard points for a Bayern side in generally unimpressive form.