Arteta makes bold assertion after Arsenal rout of Real

Contrasting emotions at the Emirates for Mikel Arteta, left and Carlo Ancelotti : Pictures by @YTJourno

The result will have astounded the rest of Europe - especially those teams still fighting for a place in next month's Champions League final in Munich.

But it didn't shock the man who masterminded the Emirates' unforgettable night.

The Arsenal boss knows that not even a 3-0 first leg lead is a guarantee of progress to the semi-finals of club football's elite competition, but he insists he could tell from the way his players prepared to expect something special.

And special it most certainly was, with not one, but two magnificent free-kicks from Declan Rice and a sweet drive from Mikel Merino from the edge of the box stunning the reigning - and seemingly perennial - Euro champs.

Asked if he could have envisaged a performance and result like this, Arteta said: "I did! I was very convinced because I could sense, in the preparation that we were really at it, that we had that belief and that trust we could create for Madrid a lot of problems.

"It was the theme of the game: Make it happen. If you have that mindset and that belief, things can happen and we delivered today and we are very happy.

"Collectively, when you play the way we played and have the performance that we had, you need the players to take their game to a different level - to the standard required to beat this incredible team.

"My feeling was that the team was super-convinced. We had to trust that we could do it because we've done it for big periods against the best opposition that you can face in football for two years and if you can do that, you can do it on the day.

"You have to continue to make steps and tonight we have made one in the right direction, for sure. It's half time, now we have to go to the Bernabeu and have to elevate the level again. We are going to have to be even better in Madrid to go through."

Arteta added: "Playing with that energy and that commitment from the crowd makes a huge difference and magic moments decide matches. The first two goals of Declan summed up the night.

"We haven't scored a direct free-kick since September 2021 - Burnley away, Martin Odegaard, it's been a long time. So to score two goals in 12 minutes of that magnitude, of that quality, from a player that has never scored from a free-kick in his career....I mean, what are the odds?"

"I think the crowd played some part in the energy that they put in and it helped us massively to win the game."

Carlo Ancelotti conceded it had been a poor night for his Real Madrid side.

He said: "It was very difficult for us. We thought the team was strong coming into the game, and first half the team was organised but we conceded the two free-kicks and after, physically and mentally it was tough. Normally the team reacts but tonight we were poor. Our level dropped in the second half.

"We have to do everything we can next week to recover. The possibilities are quite low of a recovery but we have to do everything we can - we have to show a response to a poor game.

"We have to have belief and we have to have trust. A lot of times in the Bernabeu, things happen."

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