Declan Rice scored two stunning free-kicks, the first goals of his career from such set-pieces, as Arsenal swept aside Real Madrid with a commanding 3-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie in London.
Manager Mikel Arteta had called on the Arsenal faithful to create a fervent atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium, and the home side responded with a dynamic start, launching a series of dangerous crosses into the Real Madrid penalty area in the early stages.
While Real Madrid eventually registered their first meaningful chance through Vinicius Jr around the 20-minute mark, it was Arsenal who seized control of the encounter in the second half, spearheaded by a sensational performance from Rice.
The Gunners, who had displayed superior intensity and quality throughout the evening, broke the deadlock in the 58th minute. Rice curled a sublime free-kick around the Real Madrid wall, finding the bottom corner of Thibaut Courtois’s net for his first ever goal from a direct free-kick.
Just 12 minutes later, Rice repeated the feat with another free-kick of equal brilliance. This time, his long-range effort bent perfectly into the top right-hand corner, leaving the 15-time European champions visibly stunned.
Mikel Merino compounded Real Madrid’s misery just five minutes later, calmly curling a shot into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area, ensuring a memorable night for the North London club.
To add to Real Madrid’s woes, Eduardo Camavinga was shown a red card in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card.
Arsenal, who have not reached the Champions League semi-finals since the 2008-09 season, have now put themselves in a formidable position to progress to the last four.
Arsenal Dream as Madrid Struggle
Despite coming into the match with significantly less European pedigree than their illustrious opponents, Arsenal displayed a ruthlessness and quality that Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side could not match.
Arteta had faced pre-match concerns over injuries to key defenders, but his team’s impressive start quickly overshadowed those issues. Bukayo Saka proved a constant threat, causing problems for David Alaba down the flank.
Rice’s two spectacular free-kicks ignited the Emirates crowd before Merino’s composed finish sealed a memorable victory. Merino, filling in an advanced role, has now scored five goals in his last nine appearances for Arsenal.
Arsenal could have even extended their lead, with Jude Bellingham and Alaba forced to clear balls off the Real Madrid goal line. Despite a season plagued by injuries, Arteta has guided his team to the cusp of a Champions League semi-final.
Disappointing Madrid Face Mountain to Climb
Real Madrid arrived in London in less than stellar form, having won just two of their previous five matches. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had acknowledged Arsenal’s threat from set-pieces in the pre-match press conference, but the Spanish giants appeared ill-equipped to deal with them on the night.
Ancelotti’s side lacked their usual flair and sharpness, restricted to sporadic counter-attacks. Kylian Mbappe had their best chance, but his effort was saved by Arsenal’s David Raya.
Having kept just two clean sheets in their last 11 games across all competitions, Real Madrid now face a daunting task. They will need to score at least three goals at the Bernabeu next week to have any chance of overturning this significant deficit and progressing to the semi-finals. While Real Madrid have a history of dramatic comebacks in this competition, Arsenal will know that another resolute performance in the second leg will be crucial to securing their place in the last four.
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