Champions League: Declan Rice scores out-of-the-world free kicks as Arsenal put three past Real Madrid – watch video | Football News
Arsenal’s Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in London. (AP) Arsenal secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Declan Rice scored two stunning free-kicks in the second half, while Mikel Merino added a third goal before Real’s Eduardo Camavinga was sent off late in the game.Rice’s performance was particularly remarkable as he had never scored a free-kick in his career before this match. His two strikes left even Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois unable to respond.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The win puts Arsenal in a strong position ahead of the second leg at the Bernabeu on April 16. The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semi-finals.Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had described this match as the “biggest night” of his career, urging his players to make history by pursuing Arsenal’s first Champions League title.The Gunners, who currently trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by 11 points, haven’t reached the Champions League semi-finals since 2009. Their only final appearance ended in defeat to Barcelona in 2006.Real Madrid’s defeat exposed their vulnerabilities, having already lost 10 times this season. They currently sit four points behind Barcelona in La Liga.The match began with Real Madrid showing early promise. Vinicius Junior curled a shot wide after receiving a pass from Mbappe inside the Arsenal area.Kylian Mbappe demonstrated his pace by breaking through Arsenal’s defense, but his shot went straight at goalkeeper David Raya.Arsenal responded with Rice forcing a save from Courtois with a header from Jurrien Timber’s cross. Courtois also denied Gabriel Martinelli’s follow-up attempt.The deadlock was broken in the 58th minute when Rice scored his first free-kick from 25 yards, curling the ball around the Real Madrid wall.Arsenal maintained their momentum with a sequence of attempts. Courtois saved shots from Martinelli and Merino, while David Alaba made a goal-line clearance.Rice scored his second goal in the 70th minute with another free-kick from 20 yards that found the top corner.Arsenal fans celebrated Rice’s performance with chants of “Declan Rice, we got him half praise,” referencing his £105 million transfer fee.Merino sealed the victory five minutes later with a precise finish from 12 yards out.The match ended on a sour note for Real Madrid when Camavinga received a red card for kicking the ball away in the closing minutes.Real Madrid’s star players struggled to make an impact, with Jude Bellingham having a quiet game while Mbappe and Vinicius Junior only managed occasional threats.For Arsenal, this victory represented one of their most significant European nights, putting them in a strong position to advance to their first Champions League semi-final in 15 years.The return leg at the Bernabeu will determine if Arsenal can maintain their advantage and progress in their quest for their first Champions League trophy.Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
