Arsenal took a giant step towards a UEFA Champions League semi-final berth with a dominant 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Declan Rice was the unlikely hero, scoring two sensational free-kicks to sink the 15-time UCL champions, who were reduced to 10 men late in the game. The win places the Gunners firmly in the driving seat ahead of next week’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Arsenal started brightly, with their high pressing and quick tempo putting Carlo Ancelotti’s men on the back foot early on. The Gunners came close to opening the scoring in the first half through Rice and Gabriel Martinelli, but Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a stunning double save to keep the game goalless at the break.
The breakthrough finally came in the 58th minute in spectacular fashion. With the home crowd expecting Bukayo Saka to take a free-kick from just outside the box, Rice stepped up and unleashed a thunderous drive into the top corner, leaving Courtois rooted to the spot.
Just 12 minutes later, the England midfielder repeated the feat, this time curling a sublime effort into the opposite top corner to double Arsenal’s lead and send the Emirates into a frenzy.
Arsenal sealed the victory in the 75th minute through Mikel Merino, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner after a swift attacking move exposed Real Madrid’s shaky defence.
Real’s night went from bad to worse when Eduardo Camavinga received his second yellow card in added time for kicking the ball away in frustration, capping off a forgettable evening for the Spanish giants.
The result extended Arsenal’s unbeaten record against Real Madrid to three matches in the Champions League and puts them in prime position for a first semi-final appearance in 16 years.
For Real Madrid, it was their first defeat in a UCL quarter-final first leg in nine matches, and they’ll need to produce a historic performance at home to overturn the deficit next Wednesday.
