By Agboola Aluko | GLiDE NEWS, Lagos
A rsenal produced one of the most memorable nights in their Champions League history with a commanding 3-0 victory over holders Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the quarter-finals, powered by two jaw-dropping free-kicks from Declan Rice.
The England midfielder, who had never scored a direct free-kick before, ignited the stadium in the 58th minute with a stunning strike that curled perfectly around the wall and beat Thibaut Courtois at his near post. Just ten minutes later, Rice repeated the feat from the opposite side of the pitch—this time finding the top corner in sensational fashion to double Arsenal’s lead.
The Emirates crowd erupted, and the night got even better when Mikel Merino, starting as a makeshift striker, calmly slotted home a first-time finish from Myles Lewis-Skelly’s intelligent pass on the edge of the area.
Real Madrid, the 15-time European champions, looked rattled and failed to offer any response. Their night went from bad to worse when Eduardo Camavinga received a second yellow card in stoppage time, reducing the Spanish giants to ten men.
Total Domination After the Break
While the first half saw chances for both sides—with Gabriel Martinelli and Thomas Partey going close for Arsenal, and Kylian Mbappe twice denied by David Raya—Arsenal completely seized control after the interval.
Courtois was called upon repeatedly to prevent further damage, making fine saves to deny Martinelli and Merino, while David Alaba was forced to clear off the line to stop a fourth. But the hosts had already done enough.
The result marks one of the heaviest knockout defeats Real Madrid have ever suffered in the Champions League and puts Arsenal in pole position ahead of the second leg at the Bernabeu next week.
A Night to Remember at the Emirates
"This is probably the greatest night at the Emirates," said former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson during post-match analysis. "They destroyed the champions of Europe with three phenomenal goals."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hailed the performance and atmosphere. “We had a very complete performance, and the crowd carried us from the start. Declan's free-kicks were just magic moments,” he said.
Despite both Rice and Bukayo Saka appearing to limp late in the match, Arteta confirmed their knocks were not believed to be serious.
Rice Reflects on Career-Defining Night
“It won’t sink in for a while,” said Rice after being named Player of the Match. “I’ve always believed I could score free-kicks, but they’ve just never gone in. Tonight, it finally happened.”
The midfielder also praised teammate Saka, who returned to the starting XI after injury. “He’s a top guy and it’s unbelievable how quickly he’s back.”
History Made
According to Opta statistics, Rice became the first player in Champions League history to score two direct free-kicks in a single knockout stage match. He also became just the fourth Arsenal player to net a free-kick in the competition, following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry, Bukayo Saka, and Alberto Mendez.
Arsenal have now scored 21 goals from set-pieces this season across all competitions—more than any other Premier League side.
Madrid in Shock
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti admitted his side failed to respond. “We were poor mentally and physically after the goals. It’s not over, but the chances are now slim,” he said.
With the second leg looming at the iconic Bernabeu, Arsenal will travel to Spain with confidence, knowing a repeat of this performance could see them reach the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition for the first time since 2009.
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