Declan Rice has backed Mikel Arteta's fury over a late overturned penalty that denied Arsenal victory in their 1-1 Champions League semi-final first-leg draw with Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. The England midfielder accused the home crowd of swaying referee Danny Makkelie's reversed decision.
The first leg ended 1-1 on Tuesday, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring a penalty for Arsenal before Julian Alvarez equalized from the spot, as detailed in our match report. Controversy peaked with 13 minutes remaining when Makkelie initially awarded Arsenal a penalty for a foul on Eberechi Eze in the box, only to overturn it after a pitchside review amid deafening protests from 70,000 Atletico fans and coach Diego Simeone's touchline pressure.
Speaking to Stan Sport post-match, Rice insisted: "It was a clear penalty. I think the fans provoked the decision and changed the ref’s mind." He noted that Champions League referees tend to penalize more harshly but emphasized shifting focus to the second leg at the Emirates next Tuesday: "We will take the draw, it’s halftime, and we’re full of confidence."
Bukayo Saka, returning from Achilles injury as a substitute, urged Arsenal fans to replicate the Metropolitano's intensity: "We will take the draw... full of confidence going back to the Emirates."
Arsenal face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday before hosting the decisive second leg. Part of our 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Knockouts coverage.
