Arsenal has booked their first semi-final place in the Champions League since 2009 with a 2-1 win in the Santiago Bernabeu to complete a two-legged demolition of the reigning champions Real Madrid
Mikel Arteta celebrated one of the largest European nights in Arsenal – and insisted that their sensational victory proves that they can win the Champions League. Arsenal sealed a remarkable 5-1 aggregated victory with the last winner of Gabriel Martinelli to achieve a semi-definitive confrontation with Paris Saint Germain.
But Arteta said that the victory on 15 times European champions Real Madrid is just the beginning because the Gunners want to improve their “small history” in a competition they have never won before.
Gunners -Baas Arteta, who led Arsenal to their first semifinal in 16 years, said: “We played against a team with the greatest history. It was an inspiration for all of us, this competition. To be able to win the draw in the way we have done – I think we should be very proud of ourselves.
“Fortunately, many things went for us. In general we did what we had to do to win the game. The history we have in this competition is so short. The third time in our history of what we have just done and we have to build on it.
Arsenal will be without Thomas Partey for the return bone after he has been booked, but Arteta says they will believe they can win because he also fiddled with “immense” declan rice.
Arteta added: “I watched the PSG game last night and it was a crazy game. I know the manager [Luis Enrique] Really good, but let's enjoy tonight.
“Tonight Declan was huge. He turned the game around. He was huge today. He made a difference.”
Rice added: “It is such a special evening for this club, a historic night for this club. We had an objective in this competition – we want to win this competition. We had so much faith and confidence that we had enough to get here and win the game.
“We had it in mind and we did it in real life. What a night for the club. It is huge. I felt it before I came to the club that we were on an upward route.
“In this competition we have done incredibly well. We believe it completely and we have full faith in the manager – he is incredible. Semi -final, it's huge for us and we want to take with us tonight.”
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti stormed his press conference after he was tired when he interviewed his future after the defeat.
Real keeper Thibaut Courtois said: “” I can honestly not remember David Raya that he had to pull a very big salvation. We have lost from an arsenal side that was superior to us and we just have to accept that fact. It is now time to analyze in -depth what we can do better. “
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