Arsenal 3, Real Madrid 0: Stunning Rice Nets First Two Career Free-Kicks as Gunners Edge Closer to Semis
Declan Rice has participated in over 400 professional football matches without scoring a direct free kick.
In fact, Arsenal’s £105 million midfielder has scarcely aimed for goal with a dead ball in nearly two seasons at the Emirates.
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What transpired next? In a Champions League quarter-final against the defending champions and 15-time European titans, Rice found the net twice in just 12 minutes.
And both were from 25 yards, fooling Thibaut Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
As the Emirates erupted in sheer excitement – bodies everywhere amidst the chaos – Arsenal’s makeshift striker Mikel Merino slammed in a third to secure a comfortable lead to carry into the Bernabeu next Wednesday.
Real Madrid is known for never being out of a tie until it’s over, but the Gunners are on the verge of their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years.
They have already triumphed over both potential last-four adversaries, Paris St Germain and Aston Villa, earlier this season.
What an extraordinary evening this was – the finest the Emirates has ever witnessed in its 19-year existence, surpassing even the night when Jack Wilshere once dazzled against Lionel Messi’s Barcelona.
Real, with their superstar roster, were utterly stunned – overwhelmed by three goals in just 17 second-half minutes.
And Rice was nothing short of spectacular. He should never again be confined to a passive holding role, as he has frequently been for England.
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He nearly achieved a hat-trick, with a header denied by a superb save from Courtois and a fierce shot cleared off the line by his England teammate Jude Bellingham, who hardly influenced the match.
Mikel Arteta’s objective was straightforward – to topple the world’s most renowned club without a recognized striker and without a first-choice center-half.
Real had no such issues. Four key players, including Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., who had faced a potential ban for provocative antics toward Atletico Madrid fans after the last round, faced no serious consequences, to the surprise of no one.
Luka Modric, at 39 years old, having played in the famous 4-4 North London Derby here 17 years ago, looked out of place for the visitors.
The former Ballon d’Or victor tripped Bukayo Saka near the box early on, then benefited from some lenient officiating from Bosnian referee Irfan Peljto, who appeared overly impressed by the visiting team and failed to punish bad behavior.
Shoddy lately in domestic play, Real Madrid lacked their usual form; Antonio Rudiger’s clearance attempt struck Eduardo Camavinga and almost resulted in an own goal.
After Myles Lewis-Skelly drifted into the central midfield, overtaking Modric, Thomas Partey had a shot parried away by Courtois.
Vinicius fired wide after the referee denied Arsenal an obvious free kick, as the crowd at the Emirates erupted in discontent.
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After 30 minutes, Real Madrid decided to awake from their slumber. Bellingham danced around Jurrien Timber and slipped a pass to Mbappe whose shot was smothered by David Raya.
Mbappe began to show some threat, but it felt more like meme material than an actual danger.
Saka sent a couple of low crosses across the face of goal, but with no recognized forward, they went begging.
Just before the break, Courtois was called into action again. Rice’s downward header was instinctively parried before Gabriel Martinelli’s follow-up shot was blocked by the towering Belgian keeper.
Arsenal ratings vs Real Madrid as Declan Rice’s free-kick thunderbolts earn him an ELEVEN out of 10
Bend it like Beckham? More like bend it like Declan…
It was a set-piece masterclass from the Arsenal midfielder as he netted the first free-kicks of his career against Real Madrid, and he is the first player in Champions League history to score multiple direct free-kicks in the same knockout stage match.
Thibaut Courtois was necessary in the fast-paced first half, pulling off an impressive double save to deny a Rice header and Gabriel Martinelli’s follow-up effort.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute when England star Rice whipped in a superb free-kick.
Rice then sent the Emirates into a frenzy with a second, an even better free-kick from the left side that he rifled into the top right corner.
Mikel Merino then swept in a devastating third from a low cross to cap off a remarkable evening.
Rice’s outstanding performance earned him an unprecedented ELEVEN in our player ratings.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the rest of the Gunners…
Arsenal went into halftime invigorated, yet anxiety lingered. With Real, uncertainty reigns when they’ll ignite their spark.
Early in the second half, Ancelotti started juggling in his technical area. The old-timer had won this title twice as a player, not just five times as a manager, in case anyone had forgotten.
But then the festivities began. Saka dribbled inside, only to be brought down by David Alaba, and for once, Peljto awarded Arsenal a free-kick to ironic cheers from the home crowd.
Four Arsenal players engaged in a lengthy debate before Rice was chosen for the honor, ahead of Saka or Martin Odegaard.
Rice assessed the situation, wrapped his foot around the ball, and curled it with power around the wall and past a diving Courtois. Boom.
An excitement ripple swept through the stands as Arteta’s squad sensed blood.
Now, every Arsenal tackle, every pass, reverberated with cheers.
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Soon after, Lewis-Skelly set Martinelli free, whose shot was brilliantly pushed away by Courtois. The Belgian keeper then denied Merino, who was filling in as a false nine.
From the subsequent corner, Bellingham cleared a fierce Rice shot off the line. The £105 million midfielder was a man possessed that night. Then Saka was fouled again, 25 yards out, as if Real hadn’t learned their lesson.
This time, Rice aimed for height and dip, achieving the same result – Courtois, at 6ft 7in, dived full stretch and still didn’t come close to it.
Soon, it became absurd. Lewis-Skelly, in great form, cut inside from the left and delivered a first-time pass to Merino, who slotted it past Courtois.
It marked the Spaniard’s sixth goal since taking on precarious striker duties.
Arteta’s men were relentless. Real Madrid – the actual Real Madrid – were left in shambles.
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