On a night that will long be etched in Arsenal’s European history, Mikel Arteta’s men produced a stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Declan Rice was the star of the show, scoring two magnificent free-kicks as the Gunners dismantled the 15-time European champions at a raucous Emirates Stadium.
Before the match, Arteta asked the fans to arrive early to create an unforgettable atmosphere which was fully achieved by both the supporters and the players. Arsenal started the game strongly, making dangerous attacks in the early minutes. Although Real Madrid had a few limited chances, Arsenal was the better team in the game.
Bukayo Saka, making his first start in over 100 days, was central to Arsenal’s attacking success. The England winger won both free-kicks that led to Rice’s goals and was a constant menace down the right flank.
Arsenal had several chances to score in the first half, with Rice and Gabriel Martinelli both denied by the brilliant Thibaut Courtois. Despite their dominance, the first 45 minutes ended goalless.
The breakthrough came just before the hour mark. After Saka was fouled on the edge of the area, Rice stepped up and curled a perfect free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner his first ever direct free-kick goal in senior football. The Emirates erupted as Arsenal finally had the lead they deserved.
Ten minutes later, they should have doubled it when Courtois saved from both Martinelli and Mikel Merino, with follow-up efforts cleared off the line by Madrid defenders. But in the 70th minute, Rice struck again. From a similar distance, he whipped another unstoppable free kick into the top corner. Even the ever-reliable Courtois could only watch as the ball sailed past him.
With Madrid stunned, Arsenal sensed a chance to put the tie out of reach. Just five minutes after Rice’s second, teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly combined smartly with Leandro Trossard before setting up Merino, who coolly slotted home from inside the area.
Madrid’s night went from bad to worse when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off in stoppage time for kicking the ball away after a foul, receiving a second yellow card.
Rice’s brace was historic he became just the fifth player to score two direct free-kicks in a Champions League match and the first to do so against Real Madrid. It was also the first time Arsenal have scored three goals in a European knockout match without reply since 2009.
With a three-goal advantage heading into the second leg at the Bernabeu on April 16, Arsenal are now strong favourites to reach their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years. Arteta’s call to write a new chapter in the club’s European legacy may just have begun in spectacular fashion.
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