Arsenal are gearing up for their first match against Real Madrid in six years – a fixture one former Gunners starlet may still be having nightmares about.
As Hale End graduates Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri all look set to be involved, one ex-academy hotshot knows all too well the quality Los Blancos possess.
Robbie Burton, who had been recently appointed as captain of the Under-23s, joined Arsenal‘s senior squad for their pre-season tour of the United States in 2019.
He started in the 3-0 win over Colorado Rapids, before coming off the bench in the 2-1 triumph over Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup.
It was the first of three appearances he made in the 12-team tournament, with an inclusion in Unai Emery‘s line-up for the 3-0 victory over Fiorentina next up.
And he was then rewarded with an appearance off the bench for the final match against Real Madrid.
Burton was brought on for goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 75th minute, who had doubled Arsenal’s lead in the first half after Alexandre Lacazette‘s opener.
At the time of Burton’s introduction, the scores were level at 2-2 following strikes from Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio to get the Spanish side back on level terms.
As well as Bale, Burton was also competing against Vinicus Jr, Raphael Varane, Marcelo and Isco.
Burton was more than holding his own in the middle of the pitch, but he was soon left with his head in his hands.
With the scores level at 90 minutes, the match went to penalties, with Real leading 3-2 in the shootout.
Reiss Nelson and Saka had found the back of the net for the Gunners, but misses from Granit Xhaka and Nacho Monreal left the north Londoners on the cusp of defeat.
It came down to Burton to keep his side in the match after Vinicius Jr‘s effort crept under Emiliano Martinez‘s body, but the then-19-year-old failed to trouble Thibaut Courtois.
He blazed his attempt high and left over the bar – much to the delight of the Madrid fans behind the goal – where he instantly covered his head with his shirt in disbelief.
Burton would feature just once more for Arsenal – an appearance off the bench against Lyon in the Emirates Cup in August 2019.
The Wales youth international did come close to making his senior debut against Nottingham Forest the following month, but was an unused substitute in the 5-0 Carabao Cup win on home soil.
And in February 2020, Burton, who had been at Arsenal since he was six, was sold to Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb for £800,000 after falling down the pecking order following Mikel Arteta‘s arrival.
Citing a lack of first-team chances as the reason for his departure, Burton told The Sun in 2021: “It was a risk to move here. I felt I was ready for first-team football and I’d got to an age where I needed that experience.”
Before adding: “When the offer came from Dinamo, it was very hard to turn down. I don’t have any regrets about leaving Arsenal.
“I supported them as a kid and I had 14 years there, so I always wanted to play for the first team. I was disappointed that I never got a competitive game for them.
“Getting this chance has helped me as a footballer and as a person. I could have stayed in England and not come out of my comfort zone. I could have stayed at Arsenal for another year.
“Taking this step was a leap into the unknown. I’m glad I did it.”
Unfortunately for Burton, despite winning the league and cup double in the 2020/21 campaign, he was limited to just 17 appearances in all competitions during his time in Croatia.
A loan spell at fellow Croatian side at Istra 1961 yielded just one appearance, while he made 13 outings during another loan at Irish side Sligo Rovers.
In January 2023, Burton – failing to see a pathway back to first-team football at Zagreb – mutually agreed to terminate his contract.
A permanent move back to Sligo followed in August, where he penned a short-term deal until the end of the season.
Burton appeared in eight matches in all competitions in his second spell – without registering a goal contribution.
By the end of the campaign in November, he was released.
In October 2024, VCD Athletic, who ply their trade in the Southern Counties East Football League – the ninth-tier of English football – announced his signing.
But he no longer appears amongst their current crop of players, with his last appearance coming in a 2-2 draw against Corinthian in November.
Once tipped as a future Arsenal star, Burton is now struggling to find a pathway back into the beautiful game.
But you can be sure Burton will be cheering on his former employers, hoping they exact revenge on Real Madrid in the Champions League six years after his heartbreak.
