I was writing this column as I flew back to London from Madrid and honestly it was hard to sum up what it felt like after the event held at the Bernabeu last night.
It's not bigger than what Arsenal did in his 15-time European champions' home. Their age is coming before our eyes. Witnessing is very, very special.
Declan rice is amazing on both legs.
It's a 180-minute performance, like the players you see on the biggest stage.
Apparently he got a lot of praise after the free kick in the first leg, which is right, but he was just as good at the Bernabeu.
He is the Colossus in the center of the midfield. I don't think there was a piece of grass on that court, he didn't cover it.
This is a relentless display. Arsenal's £105 million man's biggest performance.
It doesn't matter who he is with, no one can get close to him.
He was everywhere from breaking Madrid's attack at one end to pushing Arsenal forward to Arsenal.
When it comes to his performance, you can't really be single, and that's what makes it so special. It just encapsulates all the midfield players you need or want.
Perfect full display.
Jude Bellingham can't handle Declan Rice, which shows
You can see how frustrated Jude Bellingham is. Like all the best players, Bellingham obviously has a self, you can see how he plays, and to be fair, it is this arrogance that makes him stand out among most other players. He fed it.
But his self was obviously injured by rice in strange ways on both legs.
There is only one English star midfielder on the UAE and Bernabeu, of course not Bellingham.
It was a difficult start for Rice. Like most players in and deep into the game, he struggled to truly reach the highest level in the opening months of the campaign.
But he is there now, and he has been there in the past few months.
Few large contracts can meet their price tags. You just need to check out the biggest transfers in football history to see.
The price tag is heavy in most respects, but not on the rice.
The song sang by Arsenal fans was “Declan Rice, we got his half price”. It's hard to object to this.
