Declan Rice set for different Arsenal role against Real Madrid as Mikel Arteta seeks to finish job

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Evening Standard

·15 de abril de 2025

Declan Rice set for different Arsenal role against Real Madrid as Mikel Arteta seeks to finish job

After his free-kick heroics in the first leg, midfielder given key task for return leg

Rice will be key for Arsenal at the Bernabeu on Wednesday

Vídeos OneFootball

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Declan Rice was Arsenal’s hero against Real Madrid last week on a night the midfielder described as the best of his career.

Two stunning free-kicks from Rice secured a 3-0 win and ensured Arsenal go into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid in a commanding position.

The Gunners will look to finish the job at the Bernabeu on Wednesday and Rice believes sealing a place in the semi-finals would top last week.

Real Madrid are expected to come out all guns blazing and talk of a famous comeback started last Tuesday before the squad had even boarded their flight back to Spain from London.

Rice scored two sensational free-kicks in the first leg against Real Madrid, Arsenal won 3-0

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Jude Bellingham warned how “one place where crazy things happen is our house” and the midfield battle will be crucial.

Arsenal enjoyed supremacy in the middle of the park in the first leg, but they are expected to have less of the ball and be under more pressure on Wednesday.

After his free-kick heroics at Emirates Stadium, Rice’s role will instead be to keep Real Madrid at bay

That will be tough, especially given he is a one booking away from being suspended for the first leg of a potential semi-final.

“He has to be very intelligent,” former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit told Standard Sport. “He learned a lesson earlier this season with the red card he received against Brighton - that was kind of stupid.

“He knows that every single time he has to fight for the ball, he has to be very careful, very intelligent. If I am Declan Rice, I know that I will be under a lot of pressure from the start of the of the game because Real have to come back from three goals down.

“They cannot wait, so it won’t be a tactical thing, it’s simple. They have to take the game by the scruff of the neck from the start, from the first minute until the end. They have to give everything that they have - it’s mission impossible.”

Petit has backed Rice to shine in the Bernabeu, hailing him as a “real leader” for Arsenal.

In contrast, former Arsenal midfielder Petit believes Real Madrid have problems in midfield and that is a reason why they have struggled this season.

The 15-time winners have a formidable record in the Champions League that means they cannot be written off, but Petit feels Arsenal are in a great position.

Rice was named man-of-the-match in the first leg

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“We all know what it means when you play against Real Madrid in the Champions League,” said Petit, on behalf of William Hill Vegas. “There is something special with this club, something that clicks in their mind.

“But saying that, you have to be fair as well say that this Madrid team is unbalanced and has been since the start of the season. I’m not surprised with their season because it is exactly what I said at the start of the season.

“If you’re not able to rule the midfield, you’re out of the game. And when you lose Toni Kroos… you may have strong strikers to score goals, strong defenders and goalkeeper, but the priority is the midfield. The midfield players at Madrid, they are not as good as they used to be.”

Real Madrid’s midfield will be boosted by the return of Aurelien Tchouameni, who was suspended for the first leg, but Eduardo Camavinga is banned after being sent off last week.

Tchouameni will give Madrid a greater presence in the middle of the park and boss Carlo Ancelotti could add even more athleticism there by shifting Federico Valverde from right-back to midfield.

Arsenal are expected to stick with the trio of Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Rice, who dominated Madrid physically in north London.

Rice’s two goals last week took his tally for the season to seven, while he also has nine assists. It means the 26-year-old has matched his efforts from last season, which was his best ever season in terms of attacking output.

His game has developed a creative and goalscoring side to it since moving to Arsenal, but Wednesday night calls for a throwback to his days at West Ham.

Rice was always in heart of the action then, leading the way with his defensive work and a willingness to fight until the end.

In the cauldron of the Bernabeu, such qualities will be crucial as there will undoubtedly be periods of the game where Arsenal are on the back foot and suffering.

“I always loved that guy (Rice), even when he was playing for West Ham and England,” said Petit.

“He justified his price tag in his first season, last year. He was under such pressure because of his price tag. His first season for Arsenal was unbelievable, I loved it.

“Honestly, when you look at the transfer market, how many of the players sold for £100million have delivered the same way as Declan Rice?

“He’s a real leader. He always plays with huge ambition on the pitch. I love it, honestly, I'm a huge fan of Declan Rice.”