Why Declan Rice Was Furious With Thomas Partey During Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal travelled away to Spain in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with a lead to defend. The Gunners had thumped Real Madrid 3-0 at home, but with Los Blancos’ history in the competition, they knew it would not be a simple match.
Mikel Arteta’s came into the game with a three-goal lead thanks to Declan Rice’s incredible free-kick double at the Emirates, with Mikel Merino adding a third later on the the home encounter. Media in the build-up to the second leg had been focused on the idea of some sort of miracle comeback – a ‘Remontada’ as it is known in Spanish – but no comeback was forthcoming.
In truth, the Gunners looked comfortable all night and could even afford to miss a penalty, before taking the lead – with Bukayo Saka making amends for his poor Panenka with a smart finish in the 65th minute. A William Saliba mistake did allow a consolation goal for Vinicius Junior, but Gabriel Martinelli gave the Premier League side a 2-1 win on the night (and a 5-1 victory on aggregate).
That said, it wasn’t a stress-free game. Beyond the Saka miss, Kylian Mbappe looked to have won a penalty before it was cancelled by the referee and VAR. They survived those scares but Arteta will be frustrated with another bit of drama that occurred with Thomas Partey in the 85th minute.
Thomas Partey Suspended for PSG Home Leg
Declan Rice was furious with his Arsenal teammate
With only minutes left on the clock, Arsenal won a free-kick just inside the Real Madrid half. Partey needlessly got involved in a little scuffle with Antonio Rudiger, who had already clashed with Myles Lewis-Skelly. The Ghanaian picked up a yellow card – his third in the knockout phase. As a result, he will now miss the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Even Declan Rice – who was also one booking away from a suspension – could not hide his anger. He pulled his teammate away from the action and had a stern word with the midfielder.
The Gunners will now be without their star midfielder in the first leg of their semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. This game will take place on 29 April at the Emirates, with the return fixture set for 6 May.
source: givemesport