Declan Rice declared Arsenal’s unwavering belief in defeating Real Madrid, as the Gunners secured a momentous 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabéu to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory and book their spot in the Champions League semi-finals.
Already holding a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg, Arsenal weathered Madrid’s reputation for dramatic European comebacks with composure and confidence.
Rice, who earned back-to-back Player of the Match awards across both legs, reflected on the historic night for the club.
“It’s such a special night, a historic night for this club,” Rice said in a post-match interview. “We had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we knew we were going to win. We knew we would suffer, but we also knew we would get the job done.”
The midfielder was instrumental in guiding Arsenal to their landmark victory, silencing the comeback narrative surrounding the defending European champions. For a fanbase hungry for silverware, the triumph has reinvigorated optimism in the club’s trajectory under their current management.
Rice further emphasized the growth he’s seen since joining the team: “This club is going to do special things over the next few years. We all fully trust in this manager; he’s unbelievable. It’s been tough in the Premier League this year, but in this competition, we’ve done amazingly well.”
The Gunners will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, a familiar opponent after defeating them in the group stage earlier this season.
Rice acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “PSG are an amazing team. We’ve played them once already, and we feel they’re a different team now.”
The first leg of the semi-final will take place at Emirates Stadium on April 29, followed by the second leg in Paris on May 7.
