Arteta's Arsenal come of age

Gunners deliver a Madrid masterclass

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MADRID: Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side came of age as they dethroned Champions League kings Real Madrid with ease to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

A commanding 3-0 first-leg victory last week, lit up by two stunning Declan Rice free-kicks, laid the foundations in London.

But a 2-1 win in the cauldron of the Santiago Bernabeu to complete the job on Wednesday was a significant milestone for Arteta's rising stars.

Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, sent Arsenal ahead and although Junior levelled the tie, the winners were never close to making up the deficit.

Gabriel Martinelli rubbed salt in their wounds with a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal, who are yet to lift the Champions League trophy.

Arteta's only major trophy in five and a half years in charge remains the 2020 FA Cup, just months into his reign.

But the Spaniard has transformed a sleeping giant back into serial contenders for major honours.

"I sensed before I signed for the club that we were on an upwards trajectory," said Rice, who rejected the advances of Manchester City to join Arsenal for a club record £105 million (US$139 million) in 2023.