Arsenal picked up a huge win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
Mikel Arteta rested several players for the game against Everton over the weekend so that they could be available to face the Galacticos.
That decision clearly paid off, as Arsenal were fantastic from start to finish. Two brilliant free-kicks from Declan Rice and a lovely goal from Mikel Merino sealed an emphatic 3-0 win for the hosts.
Thierry Henry, who knows a thing or two about scoring against Real Madrid, was blown away by one Arsenal player’s performance.
Thierry Henry shares what he noticed about Arsenal star Declan Rice’s performance vs Real Madrid
Rice was the star of the show for Arsenal against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Everyone knows that the Englishman is a world-class player, but a high-pressure Champions League clash against Real Madrid was a big test even for him.
Rice was absolutely brilliant for Arsenal from the first minute of the game.
He was excellent on the ball, always made himself available for a pass, supported Gabriel Martinelli in that left channel and caused Real Madrid all sorts of problems with his late runs.
To add to that, Rice scored two stunning free-kicks, and that earned him the Player of the Match award on Tuesday night.
Henry was at the game at the Emirates, and he was very impressed with the England star. He branded Rice’s performance as crazy and noticed that he was trying ‘prove a point’.
While interviewing the midfielder, Henry said on CBS Sports: “First and foremost, the game that you had, it was crazy the way you played.
“It looked like you played the game because you wanted to prove a point. I don’t know to who – to your teammates, the fans or some people – I don’t know, but you were possessed tonight.”
Rice’s performance vs Real Madrid proves one thing
There has been a lot of debate over Rice’s best position since he joined Arsenal.
The 26-year-old mostly played as a defensive midfielder for both West Ham United and the England national team. But, at Arsenal, he has been used as a number eight.
Arteta has had to listen to some criticism for that decision over the last year, but Rice’s performance against Real Madrid on Tuesday night proved that he is at his best as a box-to-box midfielder.
The Englishman’s ability to drive with the ball and make late runs into the box offers so much to Arsenal, and his stamina and work ethic allow him to put in the work defensively when required as well.
Arteta was right all along – Rice as a number eight suits Arsenal way more.
