Arsenal v Real Madrid LIVE: Reaction as brilliant Gunners demolish visitors on historic Champions League night | OneFootball

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Declan Rice’s free-kick double delights Mikel Arteta as Arsenal obliterate Real Madrid

Arsenal delivered a Champions League performance for the ages as they demolished Real Madrid 3-0 to put one foot in the semi-finals on the most historic night in Emirates Stadium history.

This was the Gunners’ biggest home occasion since their move from Highbury almost 20 years ago and Mikel Arteta authored one of their greatest ever displays to rout the shell-shocked 15-time European champions and give themselves a huge cushion ahead of next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu.

Declan Rice was the hero as he curled home two sumptuous free-kicks in the space of 13 minutes, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois – who was brilliant all evening long – left absolutely helpless.

Makeshift striker Mikel Merino then turned and rifled a third goal into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to deservedly push the Gunners further clear and leave their fans dreaming of a place in the last four.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid LIVE

Declan Rice reveals how he defied Arsenal set-piece coach to score stunning free-kick against Real Madrid

Declan Rice has revealed that a key message from Bukayo Saka inspired his free-kick heroics in Arsenal’s remarkable 3-0 win against Real Madrid.

Rice revealed after the conclusion of the first leg that he had not initially been planning to shoot from the first free-kick, instead eyeing up a cross under the instruction of captain Martin Odegaard and set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

But having seen a gap alongside the Real Madrid wall, and with the words of his teammate Saka in his ears, Rice bent his strike past Thibaut Courtois at the near post to give Arsenal the lead.

Jamie Braidwood9 April 2025 12:01

Thibaut Courtois criticises Real Madrid teammates for role in Declan Rice free-kicks

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has blasted his teammates for their role in facilitating Declan Rice’s free-kick masterclass as Arsenal took control of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

“They are two unnecessary fouls, where there is no danger,” Courtois said post-match. “Maybe you shouldn’t make those mistakes. Keep studying so that they don’t get those in the second leg.

“I knew I would have a job, they are a team that attacks well. In the fouls, I thought I had set up the wall well. I always put in an extra man so that the shot does not get past. I can take that responsibility, I could have put one more man even, but I thought I wasn’t going to get tested. And the second is a great goal.”

Jamie Braidwood9 April 2025 11:20

The three words that inspired Arsenal’s greatest Champions League night

If the “magic moments” didn’t reveal enough, as Mikel Arteta put it, two images displayed the scale of Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. One was the scene in the dressing room, where staff congratulating the players could barely be heard over the noise. It was raucous.

When Declan Rice came in with his man-of-the-match award, he was laughing about how Nicolas Jover told him to cross his first free-kick. A few metres away, Carlo Ancelotti could barely be heard for very different reasons. The Real Madrid manager’s voice was unusually low for his post-match press conference, which he didn’t stick around long for. Ancelotti has rarely been so subdued.

That was ultimately because of another message relayed by Arteta, that was heard loud and clear.

That was to “make it happen”.

The three words that inspired Arsenal’s greatest Champions League night

Arsenal overwhelmed Real Madrid in a major leap under Mikel Arteta thanks to a new mindset, lessons from a Bayern Munich humbling and tactical adjustments against the Champions League holders

Miguel Delaney9 April 2025 08:54

Breaking down Declan Rice’s ’magical’ free-kicks against Real Madrid: ‘What are the odds?’

Declan Rice scored the first direct free-kick of his professional career to give Arsenal the lead in their historic victory over Real Madrid. Then, 12 minutes later, he did it again.

Both free-kicks in the 3-0 win were of the highest quality, too, as the England midfielder first bent a sublime strike around Real Madrid’s wall before thundering an unstoppable shot into the top corner of Thibaut Courtois’ goal to leave Martin Odegaard standing with his hands on his head and the Emirates losing its collective mind.

“What are the odds?” Mikel Arteta asked, and quite. Rice had gone 338 appearances in his career without scoring a free-kick, only to become the first player in Champions League history to score two in the same knockout game - as well as only the fifth overall, joining Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Hakim Ziyech.

Breaking down Declan Rice’s free-kicks against Real Madrid: ‘What are the odds?’

Rice had gone 338 games without scoring a free-kick, and Arsenal almost four years. Then two came along in 12 minutes on a magical night at the Emirates

Jamie Braidwood9 April 2025 08:24