WILLIAM SALIBA has warned Arsenal they would be foolish to try and DEFEND their 3-0 lead against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
The Gunners stunned the reigning and 15-time European champions in their Champions League quarter final first leg thanks to two stunning second half Declan Rice free-kicks.
Mikel Merino’s strike shortly after sees Mikel Arteta’s men go to Madrid next week with a three-goal cushion – something Los Blancos have NEVER overcome in a knock-out first leg.
Yet French defender Saliba is wary of Madrid’s status as the crazy comeback kings on their own patch – and told Arsenal to fight fire with fire in one of Europe’s greatest arenas.
The 24-year-old said: “We are not scared. We want to go there and win the game.
“We cannot defend the whole game. We won 3-0 but we know it is not finished. There are a lot of things that can happen.
“It was incredible because to win in a quarter final like this against Madrid, in front of our fans, is amazing. But now we have to do it again next week.
“One of the best [nights of my career] and I hope it’s not the last one.”
Boss Arteta has been criticised in the past for his tentative approach in big games away from home, preferring to set up not to lose instead of going for the win.
In March 2024, Arsenal went to the Etihad needing three points against Manchester City to put them in pole position to win their first Prem title for 20 years.
Instead, they defended deep and had just 27.5 per cent possession and two shots on target in a 0-0 draw – ultimately being pipped to the title by City on the final day by two points.
The Bernabeu clash will be a chance for the Spanish coach to prove he has learned his lessons when it comes to competing for the biggest honours.
Arteta has also spoken in the past about needing “magic moments” to see out tight games, and he got just that with Rice’s world class free-kicks in the 58th and 70th minute against Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid.
England midfielder Rice had never scored a free-kick in his professional career, and defied instructions from set-piece coach Nicolas Jover to go for goal instead of crossing.
It was also Arsenal’s first goal from a direct free-kick since September 2021 when Martin Odegaard scored against Burnley in a 1-0 win at Turf Moor.
Saliba laughed: “I don’t see that! [from Rice in training] It’s the first time I’ve seen a good free kick from Dec. We don’t score a lot of direct free kicks.
“I am so proud of him and I’m sure he will score again.”
Arsenal remain without a recognised striker with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured, while Saliba’s defensive partner Gabriel was recently ruled out for the season after hamstring surgery.
Saliba added: “We don’t want to hide behind the injuries. We know that we haven’t been so lucky this season but we have to keep going.
“We have a lot of good players who can step up. We did well today and it gave us a lot of confidence for what is coming.
“It gives us a lot of confidence for what is coming next. We have to keep going like this, even if we have a young team, we can win.”
Arsenal ratings vs Real Madrid as Declan Rice’s free-kick thunderbolts earn him an ELEVEN out of 10
BEND it like Beckham? More like bend it like Declan…
It was a set-piece clinic from the Arsenal midfielder as he scored the first free-kicks of his career against Real Madrid – and the first player in Champions League history to score multiple direct free-kicks in the same knockout stage game.
Thibaut Courtois was on hand to save Real Madrid in a fast paced first half as he pulled off a fine double save to deny a Rice header and a follow-up effort from Gabriel Martinelli.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute as England star Rice whipped in a sensational free-kick.
Rice then sent the Emirates into the stratosphere with as he added a second with an even better free-kick from the left side of the goal which he rifled into the top right corner.
Mikel Merino then swept a devastating third into the bottom corner from a low cross to put the cherry on a remarkable night.
Rice’s epic showing was enough to earn him an unprecedented ELEVEN in our player ratings.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the rest of the Gunners…
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