DECLAN RICE DISCLAIMS MIKEL ARTETA’S MESSAGE THAT INSPIRED ARSENAL’S HISTORIC SCORE AGAINST REAL MADRID

DECLAN RICE DISCLAIMS MIKEL ARTETA’S MESSAGE THAT INSPIRED ARSENAL’S HISTORIC WIN OVER REAL MADRID Declan Rice has disclosed the message that Mikel Arteta conveyed to the Arsenal squad prior to their 2-1 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday night. This outcome secured the Gunners’ first UEFA Champions League semi-final appearance in 16 years.

Arsenal headed into the second leg in Madrid with a 3-0 lead from the first leg, but Real Madrid’s propensity for dramatic comebacks ensured that the burden was on. Undeterred,

Artery’s delivered an additional composed and clinical performance to secure a 5-1 aggregate victory over the reigning champions in their own stadium. Bukayo Saka, who missed a penalty in the first half, scored the opening goal with a well-executed chip following a fantastic exchange between Martin Ødegaard and Mikel Merino.

Arsenal’s goal was the culmination of a dominant first half performance in which they prevented Madrid from registering a single attempt on target. Arsenal maintained their composure, despite Vinícius Júnior’s prompt response to capitalise on a rare defensive lapse by William Saliba. In stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli completed a swift counterattack to conclude a remarkable performance that spanned the two legs.

Declan Rice addressed TNT Sports following his selection as Player of the Match, stating, “It is a historic night for this club.” We have a specific goal in this competition: to defeat the most talented teams and secure the championship. He also reflected on Arsenal’s conviction prior to the game, stating, “There was a lot of talk coming here about [Real Madrid] coming back,

because they have done it so many times before, but we had so much belief and confidence from that first game.” We were aware that we would endure hardship; however, we were also confident that we would prevail. We had it in our minds, and we have now implemented it. Declan Rice also discussed the thrilling future of the North London club: “We have performed exceptionally well in this competition, and this club is poised to achieve extraordinary feats in the coming years.

We are all fully convinced of this.” We have a diverse blend of players, including Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, as well as other young players. Arsenal will now prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, with the first leg scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, at the Emirates Stadium.