Declan Rice delivered the performance of his career as Arsenal stunned Real Madrid at the Bernabeu to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals.
After a 3-0 first-leg win at the Emirates, the Gunners completed the job in Spain with a 2-1 win, thanks in no small part to a midfield masterclass from Rice, who has now firmly placed himself among the best in world football.
“He turned the game around,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “He was immense. He made the difference.”
The £105m signing from West Ham was everywhere on the night—breaking up play, controlling the tempo, and pushing forward with purpose. If his two stunning free-kicks in the first leg weren’t enough to turn heads, his display in Madrid left no doubt about his world-class credentials.
Rice faced off against fellow England star Jude Bellingham in midfield—and dominated.
“There was only one winner tonight,” said former Arsenal defender Martin Keown. “He was absolutely magnificent.”
The night nearly took a dramatic turn when Rice was penalised for a foul on Kylian Mbappe inside the box, which would have resulted in a suspension for the semi-final first leg. But VAR came to his rescue, overturning the call. Unfazed, Rice simply gave the referee a thumbs-up and got on with the job.
“He’s run the show in both games,” added ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. “You need these kind of nights to truly judge a player. Declan’s put himself in a different bracket now.”
Over the two legs, Rice led all players with five interceptions and matched the most shots on target with four. His seven goals this season equals his best-ever tally—proof of his growing impact at both ends of the pitch.
As Arsenal prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final—with Thomas Partey suspended for the first leg—Arteta will be counting on Rice to step up again.
“We had an objective in this competition—we want to win it,” said Rice after the match. Performances like this might just take them all the way.
