It was a performance that could prove to be career defining.

Declan Rice cost Arsenal £105m, has played in two European Championship finals with England and won a European trophy at former club West Ham.

Yet it feels the Arsenal midfielder has truly announced himself on the world stage over these two legs in the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.

"He turned the game around," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. "He was immense, he made a difference."

Rice's five interceptions over the two legs were the most of any player involved, while he also had the joint-most shots on target (four).

He has seven goals across all competitions this season, matching his previous best in a single campaign.

Any list of the world's most complete midfielders must now include Rice and he has fully deserved the plaudits.

Image source, Getty Images

There were impressive Arsenal performances throughout over the two legs, with Myles Lewis-Skelly defying his 18 years of age and Bukayo Saka impressing again, but the standout was England midfielder Declan Rice.

Following on from his two stunning free-kicks in the first leg, Rice was everywhere in Spain, defending resolutely and looking a threat going forward as he dominated Real's superstars.

The hosts did not have a shot on target before the 55th minute as Arsenal made a mockery of Real's star-studded squad and their tag as tournament favourites.

Not bad for a team without a recognised striker, with injuries to key players like Kai Havertz, Gabriel, and Gabriel Jesus and with makeshift striker Mikel Merino playing as a false nine.

Arteta's preparations for the tie were meticulous, including asking advice on the phone from his former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and testing his players in stressful situations in training.

"Mikel Arteta has built this Arsenal team from his mind and his connections with each individual talent in that team, and he's built them to be of one mind," former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott told BBC Sport.

"When I say one mind, I mean he's so serious and some people say he's too serious, but everyone's on the same path as him. And that's why I think their aura is him."

Let's see a show of thumbs for Aldar's conclusion on VAR:

• Click thumbs up if you are happy to accept lengthy VAR interruptions to make sure that the correct decisions are made in matches
• Or thumbs down if you would be happy to accept incorrect decisions but no VAR interruptions.

There is also the proviso that the correct decision is made, which is of course subjective in itself. There is the chance you could have a lengthy delay for a VAR decision and still not be happy with the decision made.

Bukayo Saka promised to learn from his first-half penalty miss but said that he was more focused on enjoying the win in his post-match interview:

"I tried something and it didn't work but I was confident that I was going to score tonight and I kept my head and I managed to do it in the second half.

"Obviously I will learn from it and move forward but tonight I am more focused on enjoying the win and maybe tomorrow or next week I will review it properly."

Image source, Getty Images

Bukayo Saka will be one relieved man after passing up the chance to extend Arsenal's three-goal lead early on - seeing his Panenka penalty clawed away by Thibaut Courtois.

The Real goalkeeper celebrated with a wild home crowd as Saka was left to ponder his choice of penalty.

Kylian Mbappe had already had an early goal ruled out for offside before Saka's moment to forget, and the France striker was then involved in a moment of controversy that was to prove key.

When he went down in the penalty area under the challenge of Declan Rice, it looked as though Real had been handed a route back into the game when referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot.

A five-minute delay followed before the decision was overturned after a video assistant referee review.

Saka, who was involved in a half-time bust-up with injured Real defender Danny Carvajal, then dinked home to give Arsenal the lead on the night and - despite Vinicius Junior's equaliser - the visitors never looked like losing control.

Gabriel Martinelli's late breakaway goal sealed a 2-1 win on the night for the Gunners and 5-1 victory on aggregate.

Right, let's bring this live page back to the present day and asses the finer details of Arsenal's impressive victory over Real Madrid...

Image source, Getty Images

Bit of sombre tone to take after watching Arsenal put in a disciplined, confident display to see off 15-time winners Real Madrid, but we take your point JD.

For anyone who is not aware of Arsenal's Champions League history, they have twice made the semi-finals before:

• 2008-09: Lost 4-1 on aggregate to Manchester United
• 2005-06: Beat Villarreal 1-0 on aggregate

Arsenal are still waiting for a first Champions League title after Arsene Wenger's side lost the 2005-06 final 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris.

If you missed the action in this week's Champions League quarter-finals then never fear, you have come to the right place.

Click on this link to watch highlights of all four second legs before [spoiler alert] re-joining us for reaction to Arsenal's victory over defending champions Real Madrid.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

As this season's Champions League reached the last four stage, the race to qualify for the 2025-26 competition became a little clearer on Wednesday night with Newcastle's 5-0 hammering of Crystal Palace.

The victory at St James' Park moved the Magpies up to third in the Premier League, with a five-point cushion over Chelsea in sixth place.

This season the top five will achieve Champion League qualification.

The result was effectively sealed in first-half stoppage time when Harvey Barnes and Fabian Schar scored to double the Magpies' lead.

Jacob Murphy had squeezed in an opener before Eberechi Eze had a penalty saved by Nick Pope and the Eagles' misery was compounded by an own-goal from Marc Guehi.

Alexander Isak rifled in a 25-yard effort after the break - his 25th goal of the season - to round off the scoring.

Today's poll will give us an idea of who you think will win this year's Champions League, but we also want to know the reasons behind your choice.

If one of the four teams in the semi-finals has caught your eye, get in touch to tell us why.

Also, tell us what you made of Arsenal's performance in the Bernabeu. Were you impressed by the Gunners?

And what is going wrong at Real Madrid?

Send us a message via:

• X using #bbcfootball
• WhatsApp on 03301231826
• Or text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

And remember to include your name.

Thanks.

Well, now that we know who is playing who in the Champions League semi-finals, which team do you think will go on and win it?

Have your say in today's poll at the top of this page.

Image source, Getty Images

Champions League

First legs

• 29 April: Arsenal v Paris St-Germain
• 30 April: Barcelona v Inter Milan

Second legs

• 06 May: Inter Milan v Barcelona
• 07 May: Paris St-Germain v Arsenal

Final to be played in Munich on Saturday, 31 May.

Inter Milan held their nerve to clinch a 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich that was enough to see them edge Wednesday's other Champions League quarter-final tie 4-3 on aggregate.

The Serie A leaders took a 2-1 aggregate lead into the return leg at the San Siro, but were pegged back by a crisp, low strike from England captain Harry Kane in the 52nd-minute.

That goal sparked Inter into life and just nine minutes later they were in front on the night and in complete control of the tie as first Lautaro Martinez and then Benjamin Pavard scored from corners.

Bayern did not give up though, and with 14 minutes remaining they drew level thanks to Eric Dier's looping back-post header.

Vincent Kompany's side pushed for a third goal to force extra time, and in the fifth of six added minutes the chance came but Thomas Muller could not direct his header past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that his side's ability to keep their cool in the fever-pitch atmosphere of the Bernabeu was key to their second-leg victory, which completed a 5-1 aggregate win over the defending champions in the Champions League quarter-finals.

"It was my first time on that touchline," said the Spaniard. "Once you are there and you see the atmosphere and the chaos it can generate during the game it creates a lot of uncertainty, but I think emotionally we were very, very stable, really solid, we didn't give much away and then we took the opportunities, which is key in the Champions League."

Arsenal

Arsenal goalscorer Bukayo Saka said that he "likes to believe" his side are capable of going all the way in the Champions League after they produced a confident display to see off the defending champions.

"I am very proud of this team," said the England winger. "We showed that we can beat one of the best teams in the world - home and away. Tonight was a big statement and I'm so happy for everyone."

Click on the play icon to watch his full interview.

Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for only the third time after completing a 5-1 aggregate win over defending champions and 15-time winners Real Madrid.

Mikel Arteta's side took a 3-0 aggregate lead into the second leg and produced an assured, resolute display in the Spanish capital to set up a last-four encounter against Paris St-Germain.

A late breakaway goal from Gabriel Martinelli sealed a deserved 2-1 victory in the Bernabeu after Bukayo Saka's second-half opener had been quickly cancelled out by Vinicius Junior.

That came after Saka had missed a penalty in the first half, while Real were awarded a spot-kick in the opening 45 for a Declan Rice challenge on Kylian Mbappe, only to see it ruled out following a lengthy VAR check.