Declan Rice: Arsenal star makes history with amazing stat in masterclass vs Sporting CP
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Credit: Imago Wed 8 April 2026 10:06, UK Declan Rice delivered a brilliant performance as Arsenal narrowly beat Sporting CP in the Champions League on Tuesday. Kai Havertz scored a stoppage-time winner after he was found by Gabriel Martinelli’s brilliant pass to give the Premier League side the edge ahead of the second leg of the quarter-final next week.It has been a difficult few weeks for the Gunners, with injuries piling up and defeats suffered to end hopes of winning both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.But the drive for the Premier League and the Champions League remain, with Tuesday’s win marking a big step towards the semi-final in Europe.Should Rice continue to play as he did on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta will be confident that Arsenal’s form can take a step up for the remainder of the season. ⚽ Arsenal Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert verdicts and previews, and tactical analysis for every Gunners fixture.
Declan Ricevs Sporting CPMinutes played90Accurate passes67/68Chances created2Tackles1Interceptions4Recoveries13The Gunners boast a nine-point lead over Manchester City in the league, and will play Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in the semi-final with the advantage of a second leg at home, if they surpass Sporting CP.Rice’s performance on Tuesday has given them a superb chance of doing exactly that, and he will undoubtedly be key for every single one of the remaining games.The midfielder was acting as a destroyer against Sporting, constantly winning the ball back across the pitch. He has just returned from injury and looked jaded at times, but his technical quality remained intact – completing all but one of his attempted passes.Rice created two chances on the night, but it was the 13 recoveries he recorded that caught the attention.13 – Declan Rice won possession 13 times against Sporting CP; the most by an Arsenal midfielder in a #UCL knockout stage match since Mikel Arteta, versus Bayern Munich in February 2013 (13).
Determined. pic.twitter.com/d5blztUfDS— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 7, 2026 View Tweet According to Opta, that is the most an Arsenal midfielder has won possession in a Champions League knockout stage match since Arteta against Bayern Munich in 2013.Further history for Arsenal There was another piece of history written for Arsenal on Tuesday, after Max Dowman made his way off the bench.The 16-year-old has set all manner of records this season, and claimed another as he became the youngest-ever player to appear in the Champions League knockout stage.The youngster looked right at home, too, winning four duels and earning three free-kicks in his short time on the pitch. Should Dowman score next week, he will become the youngest-ever Champions League scorer, beating Ansu Fati’s record set when he was 17 years old. 💰 ARSENAL INSIDER UPDATE 💰 Inside the transfer budget, player wages, new kits, off-pitch deals and boardroom developments at Emirates Stadium.