Arsenal vs Real Madrid: The Standout Players

Sometimes in football, evenings are simply meant to be defined by one player. For the 60,000 in attendance at the Emirates Stadium last night, and to the millions watching worldwide, Arsenal’s 3-0 dismantling of Real Madrid will be remembered – and rightly so – for Declan Rice’s masterful free kicks and the beautiful mix of euphoria and disbelief that subsequently swelled across North London.

Rice’s actions speak for themselves. Some will call it a coming of age, others will consider the occasion a fulfilment of destiny. Regardless, the 26-year-old will forever hold a place in Champions League history.

But there were also unsung heroes for the Gunners. Those who worked tirelessly throughout the evening to give their side the best chance of success. And on the opposition, there are a long list of names who should hold huge regrets over their performances.

😱 pic.twitter.com/j4eY6wslh3

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 8, 2025

Teenage Dream

Perhaps chief among those heroes is Myles Lewis-Skelly, whose stock only rose throughout his first Champions League quarter final encounter. The 18-year-old looked impossible to dispossess time after time, and there were numerous occasions where he looked to have lost the ball, only to somehow claw his way into a promising position, having held onto possession. He was also exceptional defensively, winning two tackles on the night and dealing expertly with the potential threat of Rodrygo. The icing on the cake was that his composure and awareness led to him getting the assist for Mikel Merino’s goal.

Dutch Delight

In a season where Arsenal have so often been plagued by injuries, Jurrien Timber has provided some continuity in the Gunners’ defence. The Dutchman’s efforts in duels and transition often go unnoticed, but Timber won more duels (8) than anyone else in the pitch yesterday.

He stood firm against Vinicius Jr and was the key figure in Arsenal’s progression into the final third throughout the game.

Partey Time

Thomas Partey’s Arsenal contract is still set to expire at the end of this season, but the way he orchestrated the tempo of Arsenal’s forward play last night was exemplary.

The Ghanaian can be proud of his 61 completed passes, many of which involved quickly shifting play from one side of the pitch to the other. He made 3 tackles, which altogether is reflective of a well-rounded performance from Partey,

Saka’s Back

Okay, probably not an unsung hero. But it’s hard to talk about Arsenal’s brilliance without bringing up Bukayo Saka. His first start in over three months, and Saka had the beating of David Alaba (who was also on return from injury), throughout the evening.

He put 9 crosses into the box, many of which were highly threatening and will leave him wondering this morning about how he has ended the game without a direct goal contribution.

How it feels to mark Bukayo Saka. pic.twitter.com/09yg1eEhqG

— James Allcott (@jamesallcott) April 8, 2025

The combination of Saka’s ability and nous led to him winning both the free kicks that resulted in Rice’s goals.

Not What Don Carlo Ordered

Believe it or not, there were two teams on the pitch at the Emirates last night. And anything that could’ve gone wrong for Real Madrid seemed to do just that.

Neither Vinicius or Kylian Mbappe had their shooting boots on, and Eduardo Camavinga spent 90 minutes demonstrating the fight and grit that Los Blancos fans want to see, only to be sent off late on.

Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio can be added to Alaba’s name on the list of defenders that spent the game on the backfoot.

The only redeeming factors for Madrid were Federico Valverde, who didn’t lose a duel all evening and looked his dominant, highly composed self, and the midfield duo of Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham, both of whom demonstrated their passing ranges and exceptional engines at such different stages of their careers.

Carlo Ancelotti will, no doubt, be expressing his frustration with his players over the coming days. But if there is one thing everyone needs to know about his Real Madrid team, it is that they will never go down without a fight.