Declan Rice opted for a different midfield partner in Tuesday night’s Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, but Mikel Arteta’s bold choice paid off for Arsenal.
Declan Rice praises Miles Lewis-Skelly after the match (Image: Prime Video)
Declan Rice has praised Miles Lewis-Skelly for taking Mikel Arteta’s tough love the right way after his strong performance against Atletico Madrid. The Gunners, with Lewis Skelly playing in midfield, secured a place in the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Atleti on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old has struggled at times this season, with strong competition between Riccardo Calafioli and Piero Hincapie at left-back. After making his breakthrough in the 2024/25 season, Lewis-Skelly has found himself regularly left on the bench this season.
After starting just three Premier League games this season, he lost his place in the England squad and has been linked with a move away from north London. However, Lewis-Skelly has been given a breath of fresh air by moving into midfield for the past two games.
Arteta has decided to start Lewis Skelly instead of Martin Zvimendi against Atletico after impressing in the position against Fulham at the weekend. This move paid off, with Bukayo Saka’s goal helping the youngsters finish alongside Rice and reach the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years.
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Rice told Amazon Prime: “We always knew what Miles could do. I remember last year when he played a lot of games. Last year, when he stepped up for Real Madrid away at the Bernabéu as an 18-year-old, I thought: ‘What a great player.'”
“Coach has been tough on him behind the scenes. He’s put his head down and worked hard. He’s been in the gym early in the morning and practiced hard. It doesn’t surprise me that he gets thrown into the deep end and performs like he does.”
Arsenal only had two shots on target in the whole match, and they came within seconds of each other, with Leandro Trossard’s shot parried by Jan Oblak before Saka scored from the rebound.
Declan Rice praised Miles Lewis-Skelly (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
However, they have crossed the line with their amazing defensive performance, conceding just six goals in 14 Champions League games this season, and will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in Budapest on May 30th.
“It’s hurt me as a player because of where this club has come from over the last few years,” Rice added. “The coach has given us complete control. We have continued to build and continue to push each other.
“In this competition and in the Premier League. We’ve been going at full throttle. We know we’re in a good position with less than a month left. Sunday is a very important game.”
Arsenal play away to West Ham on Sunday, but will be looking to build on Manchester City’s win against Everton on Monday night, who dropped two points with a 3-3 draw on Merseyside. The Gunners maintain a five-point lead over Premier League leaders City and are aiming for a historic double.
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