Jude Bellingham may be the best all-round midfielder in the world, but Declan Rice and his outstanding second-half performance prove he is not far behind.
His two wonder free kicks, plus Mikel Merino’s 75th s†rike in the second half of the Champions League quarter-final, have Arsenal on the brink of doing something special.
Even though Los Blancos are not in the best form, having lost 1-2 at home to Valencia in La Liga, they still are a formidable side, especially with 15 Champions League Titles.
There is also the small matter of the 2nd leg at the Bernabeu awaiting them next week.
But if Arsenal can complete the job next Wednesday in Madrid, it could be the catalyst that ends their 31-year wait for a European trophy after lifting the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994.
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What was so impressive about that performance was the way the team pushed up the pitch.
This was a brave move from Mikel Arteta’s side, as Madrid has the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., who are lethal in stretching the opponent’s defence with their blistering pace.
But the way the Arsenal backline, which was missing Gabriel Magalhães, reduced their attack to just three shots on target was exceptional.
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Since 1956, only four England players(Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Michael Owen, and Wayne Rooney) have won the Ballon d’Or.
England has several players who can do that, and the 26-year-old is one of them.
Rice greatly influenced West Ham’s UEFA Conference League triumph in 2022-23. He also won more possession than any other player in the Premier League that season.
If he can keep this consistency or elevate it to a higher level, he could go down as one of the world’s greatest-ever midfielders.
Job Still Not Done
Evan, though the Gunners hold a healthy 3-0 lead, Arteta and his team know that the job is only half done. As history suggests, holding onto a first-leg lead is quite difficult.
Barcelona had a 3-0 lead against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool heading into the second leg at Anfield.
But braces from Georginio Wijnaldum and Divock Origi secured a famous win comeback at the Kop.
Miracles can happen, and Real Madrid is one of those teams capable of producing memorable nights at the Bernabeu.
Thus, Arsenal must remain focussed and get the job done.
What do you think, is the tie over, or can Real Madrid produce a miracle?
Is Rice capable of being the world’s best midfielder?
