- Bukayo Saka scored in Arsenal’s 2-1 Champions League victory at the Bernabeu
- He missed a poor first-half penalty but bounced back as the Gunners progressed
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Is it fair for Man United or Tottenham to go straight into the Champions League if they win the Europa League?
Rio Ferdinand has lavished praise on Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka and hailed him ‘world class’ after his eye-catching performance against Real Madrid.
Saka bounced back from a glaring penalty miss in the first half to score at the Bernabeu and confirm his side’s spot in the Champions League semi-finals.
The forward’s attempted Panenka spot-kick after Mikel Merino was fouled inside the box was palmed out by Thibaut Courtois but he responded in defiant fashion, clipping a deft finish over the goalkeeper to hand the Gunners a 4-0 aggregate lead.
Vinicius Junior pulled one goal back for the holders before Gabriel Martinelli netted the winner late on, wrapping up a memorable night for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Post-match, Ferdinand waxed lyrical about Saka’s impact and declared that his display simply confirmed his status as an elite-level player.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Ferdinand said: ‘Here, today, against the champions, over the two legs they absolutely bossed it. Declan [Rice] was at the forefront of that I thought but also equally I would say Saka, in terms of defining and being decisive.
Bukayo Saka has been hailed as ‘world class’ after his performance against Real Madrid
Saka scored as Arsenal beat Madrid to progress to the Champions League semi-finals
Rio Ferdinand waxed lyrical about the forward and tipped him to decide countless big matches
‘We’ve debated quite a lot over the years, is he world class?
‘Saka, 100 per cent, a world-class footballer who will decide matches for the rest of his career at the top table alongside the best players.’
Ferdinand also believes the 23-year-old’s response after the half-time break, and a brief tunnel row with Madrid defender Dani Carvajal, proved he is full of confidence.
‘That’s character. He knows his worth, he knows his value,’ Ferdinand added. ‘It’s a wonderful finish. Keeper’s coming out and he just dinks him.
‘The key point is, after such a miss with the penalty, to have the confidence to do this I think tells you and signifies where he is as a player.’
Fellow pundit Steve McManaman agreed, saying: ‘Mentally very strong, isn’t he? You have to be in a stadium like this. The fact he missed a penalty and came back, and came back to influence the game, that’s the most important thing.
‘It’s great to see him back on the field. He was off for a while.’
A proud Arteta also pointed to Saka’s mental resillience after his penalty gaffe.
Saka bounced back after seeing an attempted Panenka penalty saved by the goalkeeper
The ace placed his head in his hands after giving Madrid hope in the quarter-final second leg
But Saka had the last laugh and Arsenal will next face Paris Saint-Germain in the semis
‘Obviously he didn’t score (the spot-kick) and that could have been a turning point in the game because it gave them a lot of belief,’ said Arteta.
‘The way he handled the situation, the way he played afterwards and the personality he showed, at his age, the first time he has played in this stadium, incredible.’
