Fans reaction when Declan Rice delivered a brace for The Gunners. Image: Arsenal.
(The Post News)- Declan Rice’s masterful free-kicking put Arsenal within striking reach of a spot in the semi-finals as the Gunners swept to a 3-0 victory over Champions League winners Real Madrid. In the second part of the quarterfinal first leg at Emirates Stadium, Rice scored two spectacular free kicks.
In the final moments, Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid was sent off for kicking the ball away, leaving the Spanish powerhouses in ruins after Mikel Merino added Arsenal’s third goal. Even Real keeper Thibaut Courtois, who is always so inspired on Champions League evenings, was unable to match the England midfielder’s thunderbolts, demonstrating the incomparable skill of Rice’s brace. Before the first of his rockets struck the back of the Real net, Rice had, incredibly, never scored a free-kick in his career.
It was exactly what Arsenal deserved with a mature performance that brutally exposed Real Madrid, who were plagued by injuries. As clear favourites to proceed to a semi-final matchup against either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa, who square off in their quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s team will travel to the Bernabeu for the second leg on April 16.
After an evening that will go down as one of the most memorable in the club’s illustrious history, the Gunners, who have not advanced to the Champions League semi-finals since 2009, are now within striking distance of that goal. As he challenged his team to write their own history by capturing Arsenal’s first Champions League title, Arteta referred to the match against Real as the “biggest night” of his career.
Even Arteta might have been taken aback by how well they handled the issue. Arsenal is destined to finish as runners-up for the third consecutive season, behind Premier League champions Liverpool by 11 points. However, if Arteta can complete the task in Madrid next week, the Champions League now gives them a real chance to win their first major prize since the 2020 FA Cup.
Arsenal’s sole Champions League final participation resulted in a loss to Barcelona in 2006, despite their run that featured a last-16 triumph against Real Madrid. They were defeated by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals the previous season. Real Madrid suffered a humiliating loss as the 15-time European champions were held accountable for their shortcomings, which had already cost them ten games across all competitions this season and left them four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.
After a strong start, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior only occasionally threatened, and Jude Bellingham was mainly anonymous. Mbappe picked out Vinicius Junior inside the Arsenal area, and he threatened in the first moments by firing wide. In another lightning assault, Mbappe’s lightning-fast speed allowed him to get past the Arsenal defence, but the France star’s shot went straight for David Raya.
Real Madrid’s star-studded onslaught did not appear to intimidate Arsenal, and Thibaut Courtois made a great save after Rice’s tremendous header from Jurrien Timber’s cross. Courtois scurried across to block Gabriel Martinelli’s attempt from the rebound. Real Madrid was unable to match Arsenal’s effort in the second half, and the Gunners rightfully took the lead in the 58th minute as Mbappe struck the side-netting from a sharp angle.
Following a spectacular sequence in which Courtois saved Martinelli’s blast, Merino’s rebounding drive was hacked off the line by David Alaba, and Courtois again denied Merino, Arsenal came very close to scoring. In the 70th minute, with Real on the verge of collapse, Rice delivered yet another crushing blow when he smashed an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner from 20 yards out while Courtois was struggling to hold on.
For once, the exuberant Arsenal supporters’ cries of “Declan Rice, we got him half praise” made the mention of his £105 million fee sound reasonable. Five minutes later, as the Emirates transformed into a raging crimson sea of jubilation, Marino put Arsenal in dreamland with a brilliant finish from 12 yards out.
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