Arsenal delivered a performance for the ages on Tuesday night, defeating reigning European champions Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.
In what is being described as one of the club’s greatest European nights, Declan Rice was the star of the show, scoring two stunning free-kicks within 12 minutes.
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This was a remarkable feat by the English man, especially considering he had never scored from a direct free-kick in any of his previous 338 professional appearances for West Ham or Arsenal.
Rice’s first goal came just before the hour mark, a powerful strike that left Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rooted to the spot.
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Moments later, he repeated the feat with an even more spectacular effort, making history as the first player ever to score two direct free-kicks in a UEFA Champions League knockout match.
The Emirates erupted once again minutes later when Mikel Merino added a third goal for the hosts, curling a precise shot into the net from the edge of the box.
The Spanish midfielder now has four goals against Real Madrid in his career—more than he has scored against any other club.
Before this match, Real Madrid had gone unbeaten in the first leg of their last eight Champions League knockout ties (five wins, three draws), a run that Arsenal emphatically ended with their dominant second-half display.
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Despite the result, Real Madrid still have a lifeline with the second leg set to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu, where they will hope to mount a comeback.
However, Arsenal’s commanding performance in London puts them firmly in control of the tie.
With this result, Declan Rice joins an elite group of Arsenal players—Alberto Mendez, Thierry Henry, and Bukayo Saka—to have scored a direct free-kick in the Champions League.
This memorable night at the Emirates will undoubtedly go down as one of the finest in Arsenal’s European history as the Gunners move one step closer to a potential place in the semi-finals.
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