<p><a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/arsenal-oust-holders-real-madrid-to-reach-champions-league-semis-23521211" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><strong>Arsenal</strong></a> dethroned the kings of Europe with ease, beating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to clinch a 5-1 victory on aggregate, in the quarter-final of the Champions League.</p>
<p>The result sent the Gunners into the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. Wednesday&rsquo;s triumph was a coming of age performance for Mikel Arteta&rsquo;s rising stars.<br />&ldquo;I sensed that we were on an upwards trajectory. We all fully believe in it,&rdquo; said midfielder Declan Rice, whose twin free-kicks in the first leg put Arsenal on the path of victory. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><strong><a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/ancelotti-unsure-of-real-madrid-future-23521830" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ancelotti unsure of Real Madrid future</a></strong></p>
<h2>Credit to boss Arteta&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Arteta has slowly rebuilt Arsenal into a force to be reckoned with around a core of promising talent now coming into their prime. Their brightest star, Bukayo Saka, shone yet again. He scored the opener with a sumptuous dink over Madrid&rsquo;s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 65th minute. He displayed a sense of responsibility and maturity having been denied from the spot by the Belgian in the first-half.</p>
<p>Gabriel Martinelli stuck the final dagger into Los Blancos in injury time after defender William Saliba blotted what was an otherwise flawless display by bringing down <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/injured-mbappe-jeered-in-real-madrids-quarterfinal-exit-in-the-champions-league-23521225" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><strong>Kylian Mbappe</strong></a> in the Arsenal box.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Vinicius equalises for Real</h2>
<p>Vinicius Junior converted from the spot in the 67th minute, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s such a special night for this club, it&rsquo;s a historic night for this club,&rdquo; added Rice. &ldquo;We have an objective in this competition, we want to play the best teams and we want to win this competition,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>Arteta echoed Rice&rsquo;s sentiments, reinforcing the message that Arsenal are ready to achieve ultimate glory. &ldquo;We are really hungry, we want more. All these experiences are going to help us a lot to try to achieve something big,&rdquo; Arteta said. Arsenal will face PSG in the semi-finals.</p>
<p><strong>16</strong><br />No. of years since Arsenal played in a UCL semi-final</p>
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Arsenal beat Real Madrid 2-1 to storm into semis with 5-1 aggregate; star midfielder Rice says Londoners eyeing title now

'This is a special, historic night'

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'This is a special, historic night'

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