Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand gave Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice a special admiration for his step-up in two big matches against Real Madrid.
The Gunners secured a memorable result last night, winning 2-1 at the Bernabéu and earning a 5-1 total over the Champions League holders.
Rice stole the show with two stunning free kicks in the first leg, but he also put the command mid-view display in the second fixture.
While England International has always been considered a top player, Ferdinand feels that he is now elevating himself to another level.
Ferdinand knows one or two things about delivery on the biggest stages and feels he has made the most of this opportunity to show that he has control over the game at a very high level.
Declan Rice gets special praise after Arsenal wins Real Madrid
Speaking about TNT Sports after the game, as BBC Sport quoted, Ferdinand said:
“He’s facing the owner of this trophy and he’s not only competing, he’s running shows, running shows in both games. He’s on a different bracket.”
Rice really stood out as the main man at Arsenal in the Bernabeu. The tireless display made Real Madrid unable to make anything in the middle.
Jude Bellingham was kept quiet all the way through, but that’s not a feat. Arsenal fans now dream of moving forward in this race.
AFC fans have already seen them beat the team at the league stage of the tournament earlier this season, but will need a big performance like Rice in the semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.