Guimaraes hails 'unbelievable' Rice after late equaliser rescues Arsenal at Bayern

Declan Rice rescued Arsenal with an 82nd-minute equaliser at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, earning the Gunners a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich and keeping their Champions League campaign unbeaten. The goal capped a dramatic second half in which Harry Kane had put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot after Manuel Neuer produced a world-class save to deny Bruno Guimaraes.

Guimaraes, who joined Arsenal from Newcastle in a £75 million move, was effusive in his praise for Rice after the match. “He’s so good, he’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable guy,” the Brazilian said. “He’s trying to help me a lot since my first day in the club. I think he can play like me as a six, as an eight, as a 10, everywhere in the midfield.”

The two midfielders had previously clashed as opponents — Guimaraes for Newcastle, Rice for West Ham — but have quickly built a partnership at Arsenal. “I was not nice to him when we played against each other, he was not nice to me,” Guimaraes said with a smile. “But now we are nice to each other and try to help each other on the pitch.”

Guimaraes also highlighted Martin Odegaard as another key influence in the midfield unit. “I enjoy a lot playing with him, with Martin as well — a top player, so good with the ball. The pass from him for [Eberechi] Eze was an unbelievable pass.”

The Brazilian came agonisingly close to putting Arsenal 2-1 ahead with a header before Neuer’s intervention changed the game. “Neuer saved my header — it was an unbelievable save, I was already celebrating,” Guimaraes recalled. “I asked him after the game, ‘how did you manage to save it?’ And he said, ‘I still don’t know.’ He’s one of the best keepers in the world, no matter how old he is.”

Despite the frustration of not claiming all three points, Guimaraes was broadly satisfied with the result. “It’s just the standard of the Champions League — two top teams fight for every ball until the end. Of course we want to win, but a draw in the end is okay,” he said, before turning his attention to Arsenal’s next Premier League fixture against Everton.