Declan Rice’s stunning free-kicks handed Arsenal a memorable night at the Emirates as the Gunners brushed aside Champions League holders Real Madrid 3-0 in their quarter-final first leg clash.
Although both teams had chances early on, the Gunners took control after the break and never looked back.
Declan Rice stunned the visitors with two jaw-dropping free-kicks. While the first curled around the wall and nestled into Thibaut Courtois’ bottom corner, the second flew into the top right much to the exciting noise of the home support. Mikel Merino added a third with a delightful strike to seal the victory after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s smart square pass.
Rice lights up the Emirates
Before those set-piece stunners, Arsenal had started brightly, dominating possession and unsettling Madrid’s defence. Though Courtois denied early efforts from Rice and Martinelli, the hosts kept pushing. However, despite Madrid’s occasional breakaways, the Gunners appeared more threatening throughout.
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Even though Kylian Mbappe went close twice in the first half, Madrid looked surprisingly flat and disjointed. Not only did Vinicius Jr curl an early effort wide, William Saliba also accidentally blocked a header from Partey that seemed destined for goal. Nevertheless, Arsenal remained unshakeable and kept applying relentless pressure.
Meanwhile, Madrid’s defending from set-pieces was shaky throughout, even though Courtois had warned about Arsenal’s threat in that area. Consequently, both Bellingham and Alaba were forced into desperate goal-line clearances.
Arsenal’s backline also impressed, with Kiwior partnering Saliba solidly despite pre-match doubts over his inclusion. Kiwior had replaced the injured Gabriel, who is out of the season.
Although David Raya saved well from Mbappe, he wasn’t truly troubled for long spells. Instead, it was Arsenal who continually created, with Saka giving Alaba a torrid evening on the flank.
Furthermore, Real Madrid’s frustrations boiled over when Eduardo Camavinga received a second yellow card during stoppage time.
Arsenal celebrate, Madrid dejected
Despite a season hit by injuries, Arsenal’s resilience under Arteta once again shone through. On Tuesday night, they looked like a team on a mission. The Gunners can now believe they have a great chance of reaching their first Champions League semi-final since 2009.
Although Madrid will host the return leg, they now face the uphill task of scoring four without reply. While the Spanish giants have a history of comeback wins, Arsenal’s confidence and momentum will be difficult to destroy.
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