DECLAN RICE escaped a controversial yellow card as Real Madrid saw a penalty chalked off following a five-minute VAR check.
And that means he will still be available for a potential semi-final with PSG.
Rice, 26, was the Gunners’ hero in the first leg with his two wonderful free-kicks.
But he was penalised midway through the first half of the second leg at the Bernabeu when he gave a penalty away.
Rice briefly held on to Kylian Mbappe at the back post – with the French striker hurling himself to the ground.
Referee Francois Letexier immediately pointed to the spot and brandished a yellow card to the English midfielder, who was utterly baffled by the decision.
However, after a lengthy stoppage to check both whether it was offside and if it was a foul, the ref was sent over to the pitchside monitor.
And Letexier decided no foul had been committed – chalking off both the penalty and the yellow card.
Uefa then confirmed the call with a brief statement.
They said: “The penalty for Real Madrid has been taken away due to a non-foul by Declan Rice.”
That proved a major reprieve for Rice, who went into the clash in Madrid knowing a yellow card would see him suspended for the first leg against PSG should Arsenal progress.
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