The English midfielder scored two great free kicks and paved the way for a 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
A historic night at the Emirates Stadium. A packed stadium in London was the stage for a performance – and a score – that will live long in the memory. Arsenal, buoyed by the brilliance of Declan Rice, thrashed the all-powerful Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of the Liga dos Campeões quarter-finals.
With the result, the English team is close to qualifying and maintains its dream of winning the trophy for the first time. But to do so, they need to confirm their qualification against the greatest champion. Owner of 15 trophies, Real, in turn, will be looking for a comeback at home.
The teams will face each other next Wednesday (16/4), at the Santiago Bernabéu, in Madrid. Arsenal can lose by up to two goals and still advance to face Aston Villa or PSG. Real Madrid, on the other hand, need a three-goal win to go into extra time or an even bigger lead to continue in the competition without needing extra time.
The game was 0-0 when Rice began to shine. The 26-year-old English midfielder scored two great free kicks in the second half – the first in the 13th minute, with a curling shot that went just outside the wall; the second in the 25th minute, into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Thibaut Coutois with no chance.
Then, Spanish forward Mikel Merino scored another great goal in the 30th minute. After a low cross from the left, he finished with his left foot into the corner: 3-0. In the end, Real Madrid midfielder Camavinga was sent off and will be out of the team for the second leg.
