Declan Rice has hailed Arsenal’s belief and mental strength after their stunning 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, which sealed a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory and sent the Gunners into the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

Facing a club renowned for dramatic European comebacks, Rice and his teammates entered the match with conviction built on their dominant 3-0 first-leg win. Speaking after the historic result in the Spanish capital, Rice revealed the team's unwavering confidence: “There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they've done it so many times before. But we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we could come here and win the game. We knew we were going to suffer, but we knew we were going to win.”

Rice played a central role in both legs of the quarter-final tie. He scored two sensational free-kicks in the first leg, helping to build an almost insurmountable lead. In the return leg, his composure, ball-winning ability, and leadership in midfield helped Arsenal weather Madrid’s pressure and control the rhythm of the game.

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sealed Arsenal’s victory in Madrid, while Vinícius Jr.’s equalizer was the only bright spark for Los Blancos in an otherwise frustrating night that saw them booed off the pitch by their own fans. Kylian Mbappé added to Real Madrid’s woes after leaving the pitch with an ankle injury, further compounding a night to forget for the hosts.

Looking ahead, Rice expressed Arsenal’s ambition to lift the Champions League trophy. “We have an objective in this competition: we want to play the best teams and we want to win this competition,” he said. Arsenal’s semi-final clash will see them face Paris Saint-Germain, who advanced past Aston Villa.

Under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal continue to blend youth, grit, and tactical maturity in a campaign that could mark a turning point in the club’s modern era. With players like Rice leading by example, belief is growing that the Gunners might finally be on the verge of achieving European glory.