LONDON: Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice’s two fantastic free-kicks and a striker’s finish from Mikel Merino secured a 3-0 victory over shocked holders Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at The Emirates Stadium on Tuesday (Apr 8).
The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger’s clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at goalkeeper Thibault Courtois.
Real, bidding for a record-extending 16th title in the competition, grew into the contest and threatened on the break, though their few opportunities came from Arsenal errors and the visitors looked disjointed throughout the contest.
Courtois was by far the busier keeper and produced a stunning double save, the first from a powerful Rice header, on the stroke of half-time.
There was no stopping Rice’s opener, though, a fierce curling shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for his first senior goal from a direct free-kick.
“It’s been in the locker, but I’ve hit the wall too many times or it’s gone over the bar. Originally I was going to cross it and then I’ve just have seen the wall with the goalkeeper’s position. I thought … just go for it,” Rice said.
Arsenal could have been 2-0 up shortly after but for more heroics from Courtois, who produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from makeshift striker Merino in between David Alaba’s goal-line block.
Rice’s second free-kick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-times European champions looking stunned.
Merino then coolly fired Myles Lewis-Skelly’s pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time, following a pass from substitute Leandro Trossard, to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.
The winners of the tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris St Germain, who meet on Wednesday, in the semi-finals.
