Arsenal delivered a stunning performance in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg, defeating reigning champions Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. English midfielder Declan Rice was the star of the show, scoring two incredible free-kicks that helped the Gunners gain a commanding advantage heading into the second leg.
Rice’s free-kick double was nothing short of spectacular. His first goal came in the 58th minute when he struck a superb 25-yard free-kick around the Real Madrid wall and into the far corner of the net. It was a strike that left even the usually dependable Thibaut Courtois rooted to the spot. Rice’s second goal followed in the 70th minute, a thunderous shot from 20 yards that flew into the top corner, again leaving Courtois with no chance. Remarkably, this was Rice’s first-ever free-kick goal in his career, adding to the significance of his performance.
Mikel Merino sealed the victory for Arsenal five minutes later, finishing calmly from 12 yards to make it 3-0. The result leaves Arsenal in an excellent position to progress to the semi-finals as they will travel to the Bernabeu for the second leg on April 16. With such a dominant performance, the Gunners are now favorites to face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa, who play their quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
