Rafael van der Vaart launched a scathing critique of Bukayo Saka after the Arsenal youngster missed a penalty against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Despite his saved first-half attempt—a delicate chip easily stopped by Thibaut Courtois—the talented England international bounced back to play a starring role, scoring in a thrilling 2-1 win that sent Arsenal into the Champions League semi-finals.
Saka had stepped up to take the spot-kick after Raul Asencio fouled Mikel Merino, but his panenka-style effort was thwarted. Van der Vaart, speaking as a pundit on Dutch TV, took exception to the attempt, bizarrely taking aim at Saka’s confidence and decision-making.
“This is a clear case of overestimating himself,” Van der Vaart said during Ziggo Sport’s broadcast. “He wanted to put on a show. But he’s just an ordinary player who needs to give 100% every day. What he did was a disgrace. When Messi does that, it’s different—he’s earned the right. But Saka seems to think he’s among the world’s elite.”
Although known in the Netherlands for his provocative takes, Van der Vaart’s comments did little to faze Saka. In the second half, he calmly chipped Courtois to score, extending Arsenal’s aggregate lead to 4-0 and silencing the Bernabeu crowd.
Gabriel Martinelli later sealed the victory with a dramatic winner, helping Arsenal reach the Champions League semi-finals for just the third time in their history—and the first in 16 years.
Reflecting on the moment, Saka expressed pride in his team’s achievement: “We proved we can compete with Europe’s elite, home and away. I’m so proud of the team. This was a huge statement.”
Manager Mikel Arteta also praised Saka’s resilience: “He stepped up again. Missing that penalty could have shifted the momentum, but he responded with maturity and character. To perform like that, at his age, in this stadium—it’s amazing.”
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