Declan Rice’s place in Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid next Tuesday could be in jeopardy after the England international made pointed remarks about referee Danny Makkelie in the aftermath of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw in Madrid.
Rice publicly suggested that the hostile atmosphere generated by Atletico’s home support influenced Makkelie’s decision to reverse a late penalty that had been awarded to Eberechi Eze. “I think the fans provoked the decision and changed the ref’s mind,” Rice said. “The second one on Ebs is a clear penalty. I don’t understand how it wasn’t given.”
According to The Times, UEFA are expected to scrutinise Rice’s post-match comments once Makkelie submits his official match report to the governing body. UEFA’s disciplinary process will centre on whether the Arsenal midfielder’s remarks are deemed to challenge the integrity of the match officials — a threshold that, if met, could result in a suspension.
Rice is currently expected to be available for the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium, but any expedited UEFA ruling could strip Arsenal of one of their key players at a critical stage of the competition. A ban could also extend to the final, should Mikel Arteta‘s side progress past Diego Simeone’s Atletico.
This would not be Rice’s first suspension stemming from criticism of officials in European competition. While at West Ham United in 2022, he received a two-match ban after making similar comments about referees following a Europa League semi-final — a precedent that is likely to weigh heavily in UEFA’s assessment of the current situation.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was also reported to be angered by the VAR intervention that overturned Eze’s penalty in Madrid, adding further friction to what has already become a tense and combative semi-final tie. The aggregate score remains level at 1-1 ahead of the second leg, leaving the outcome wide open.
Rice has been one of Arsenal’s most influential players this season since his £105 million move from West Ham in the summer of 2023 — a transfer that made him the most expensive British player in football history at the time. His potential absence from such a high-stakes fixture would represent a significant blow to Arsenal’s prospects of reaching a Champions League final.
UEFA has not yet announced whether formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened. The timeline of any decision relative to Tuesday’s second leg will be closely monitored by Arsenal and their supporters.
