ARSENAL have stunned Real Madrid with a 3-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Declan Rice broke the deadlock just before the hour mark after curling home a sensational free-kick.
The England midfield scored ANOTHER stunning free-kick in the 70th minute to send the Emirates into delirium.
Minutes later, makeshift striker Mikel Merino made it 3-0 with a superb finish past Thibaut Courtois.
The night went from bad to worse for Real after Eduardo Camavinga was shown a second yellow card and his marching orders in injury time.
It was a fantastic night at the Emirates for Mikel Arteta’s men as they go to the Santiago Bernabeu next week with a very healthy lead.
- Match result: Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid
- Arsenal team: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino
- Real Madrid team: Courtois, Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Follow Arsenal’s Champions League clash below…
Comeback?
Real Madrid have never come from three goals behind to win a Champions League tie.
Granted, they won’t have been that far behind in a tie after the first leg before.
But Ancelotti said: “There is always a first time. You have to try. The only thing you can do together is to try, and we will try.
“They are a really good team. Compact all the time and good on the ball. They are a good team. I said this yesterday. No news.
“The comeback starts tonight.”
Odds next week
Real Madrid are favourites to win next week’s game, but surely this tie is out of sight.
Match odds
- Real Madrid 9/10
- Draw 9/4
- Arsenal 14/5
To Qualify
- Real Madrid 8/1
- Arsenal 1/14
More from the manager
On the returning Bukayo Saka, Arteta added: “He was key. Again he elevates the level of the team. There’s a fear factor every time he’s on the ball. Team step off him and that creates space. He’s fine, I think he was just hurt from a kick when winning the second free kick.
“We need to go there and we know we will have to step up again and we will try to win it.
“It’s another step in the right direction as a team. We have to make another one and replicate what we’ve done tonight.”
More from Rice
The last of the reaction from man of the moment, Declan Rice who told Prime Video: “I don’t think it’s going to hit me what I’ve done tonight. It’s a historical night, and to score two goals against Real Madrid.
“We want to win this competition. But we have to take it one game at a time.
“Even at West Ham and ever since I’ve been here everyone’s been telling me to shoot more. It’s these little things and you’ve got to be in that mindset to score goals. I do have the ability to do it, but it’s a confidence thing.
“I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight. I’m delighted.”
Match report
Declan Rice had played in more than 400 matches as a professional footballer and never scored a direct free-kick.
In fact, Arsenal’s £105million man has barely ever taken aim at goal with a dead ball in almost two seasons at the Emirates.
So how about this then? In a Champions League quarter-final against the reigning, and 15-time kings of Europe, Rice decided to score two of them inside a dozen minutes.
And both from 25 yards. Both mugging off Thibaut Courtois, one of the finest keepers in the world.
As the Emirates erupted in an ecstatic bedlam – bodies everywhere like some kind of an orgy – Arsenal’s non centre-forward Mikel Merino lashed home a third and Mikel Arteta’s men had secured a commanding lead to take into the Bernabeu next Wednesday night.
Real Madrid are never knowingly beaten before a tie is over but the Gunners are in touching distance of a first Champions League semi-final in 16 years.
Carlo reacts
A gutted Carlo Ancelotti told Prime Video: “Arsenal were much better than us, they shot two fantastic free kicks and the game at the time changed, we were not able to react and they scored another goal and now it will be very difficult but we have to try.
“Mentally we went down, but we will try. They are a good team, compact, good with and without the ball.”
Weekend games
Arsenal will also get a day more rest than Madrid ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg.
The Gunners host Brentford in the Saturday teatime game.
Madrid are in action away to Alaves on Sunday.
‘Pull it out the bag’
A disappointed Jude Bellingham told Prime Video: “We were nowhere near it.
“That’s the fact and Arsenal were really good. I know two of their goals were free-kicks but they could have had way more.
“There is a second leg and that’s what we’re holding on to. We need something really special, something crazy really but one place where crazy things happen is our house.
“90 more minutes at home to pull something out of the bag.”
More Rice please
More from Declan Rice, who told Prime Video: “I don’t know whether it will ever sink in. I’ve gone back to my phone then and it’s gone crazy. To score my first free-kick in a game is a special one. And then when I got the second one. I just had the confidence. I’m speechless really.
“To beat Real Madrid in this competition. It’s a big night for us.
“The manager just said that then. Even if we’re 3-0 up the individual quality they have is scary. At the Bernabeu special things happen for them. We want to be in the Champions League semi-finals.”
Player ratings – FORWARDS
BUKAYO SAKA – 8: Had his heart in his mouth when his undershot back pass inside five minutes saw Vinicius Jr race clear, thankfully unpunished. In attack however, it has not taken him long to shake off the rust from his three-month lay-off. Left Jude Bellingham for dead down the right and his ball across should have been tapped in, and almost did the same up against David Alaba soon after.
Was kicked about a lot so no surprise he got taken off with the game done and dusted.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7: Largely quiet and struggled to get the better of Federico Valverde aside from the odd surging drive. His only real chance where he came alive was a rebound from a tight angle that was straight at Thibaut Courtois.
Still, he played his part, ran his socks off, even switching to the right wing when Bukayo Saka was subbed off.
MIKEL MERINO – 9: Worked hard off the ball, dropping deep to provide space for his teammates to run in behind and led the line well, albeit without any real chance to seriously worry Thibaut Courtois in the first half.
The shackles were off later on. Should have found the net twice in the space of two seconds from six yards but made up for it with a stonking first-time curler that sent this place into orbit.
Mikel reacts
A delighted Mikel Arteta told Prime Video: “Beautiful. So happy so proud of the team. We have the opportunity to make a lot of people proud and we certainly have done that.
“I’ve never seen the stadium like this. Before the game they were already singing and already playing the game.
“For big European nights you need the big stadiums that create atmosphere and you need individual magic moments and there you go.
“That’s the beauty of whoever invented this sport. We hadn’t scored a free-kick since September, 2021. And tonight, against Real Madrid at home in the Champions League, we scored two in 13 minutes.”
Player ratings – MIDFIELDERS
THOMAS PARTEY – 8: A real calming influence in the first half with some neat turns and nice carries as well as a few crucial interceptions to defuse any Madrid counters. On top of that, he forced Thibaut Courtois into a decent stop with a low driving effort.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 8: A pressing machine. The Duracell Bunny has nothing on this man. The constant heartbeat of Arsenal’s shape and structure, while showcasing some neat bits of magic on the ball in Madrid territory.
DECLAN RICE – 11
Roberto Carlos eat your heart out. That’s how you score a free-kick. I’ve never heard a noise like it in this stadium and it was fully deserved. To do it once was epic. To do it twice was just outrageous.
Rice will have been frustrated not to have scored in the first half, only to score one of the best goals of his career in the second half.
At his galloping marauding best on and off the ball, getting forward as often and as quickly as possible with Thomas Partey shoring things up. This is the Rice we love to see, and should have got on the scoresheet.
Came close to a first half close-range flick that was well blocked. His brilliant header was then palmed away by Thibaut Courtois.
Player ratings – DEFENDERS
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 9: Is this kid genuinely only 18? Check his passport, someone? On such a big occasion he was unflappable, drifting into midfield, finding space and losing his markers on the ball with ease.
One or two scary moments early on, but that’s the package with Lewis-Skelly right now, as well as being very fun to watch.
JAKUB KIWIOR – 7: A big night for the Pole and his first touch did not fill fans with confidence, letting a throw-in bobble over his foot and allowing Kylian Mbappe an early shot on goal.
Another iffy pass put William Saliba in all sorts of bother and Mbappe got in before the offside flag went up. Lucky not to be booked for a late swipe at Luka Modric just before the break, but battled his way through.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 9: Had the unenviable task of keeping his fellow countryman Kylian Mbappe quiet without his defensive partner Gabriel, and do so magnificently at times.
The Frenchman is slowly developing into one of the world’s very best defenders, proving it against the very team who want to pluck him away from North London this summer.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 7: A real mixed bag in the opening 45 minutes, not helped by a nasty late challenge from Kylian Mbappe on his left ankle that took him a while to shake off.
Some brilliant work down the right combining with Bukayo Saka, but was dispossessed by Jude Bellingham who fed Mbappe in behind that could have cost them.
Player ratings – GOALKEEPER
A look then at the player ratings for tonight’s home heroes.
Jordan Davies runs the rule over the Gunners stars…
DAVID RAYA – 7/10: Was lucky that Kylian Mbappe did not quite have his shooting boots on during the first half, but still had to stand tall and make it as tough as possible to find an angle, producing a diving stop just after the 30-minute mark.
Remarkably, was barely tested. One of his quieter evenings against the reigning European champions with one of the best attacks in the game…
Bukayo joy
On Bukayo Saka’s involvement in his first start for four months, Rice added: “Look, to come back in the time he has done is unbelievable. He’s a top guy.
“We need to be ready for next week. The Bernabeu, what it’s like to play there. We need to be ready.”
Qualification odds
The job is only half done, blah blah blah….
Arsenal have more than one foot in the semi finals. In fact, blowing it now would be one of the biggest collapses in English football.
The bookmakers think so too, they’re now 1/14 to qualify.
Real Madrid now 8/1….
On his two free kick goals
Rice added: “It’s been in the locker, but I’ve hit the wall too many times or it’s gone over the bar.
“Originally we were going to cross it and then I’ve just seen the wall and the goalkeeper’s position. So I thought just go for it. And Bukayo said to just feel it.
“The second one I had the confidence. I hit it. It’s not going to hit me now because there’s another leg to go.
“I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m over the moon. But in a few years time this will really hit me that what I’ve done tonight was really special.
Rice reacts
Declan Rice was asked about the message from the crowd before the game, telling Prime Video: “That’s been the message from the manager.
“That was the message since the weekend. We need to be super convinced we can come and win this game.
“As a group we were really convinced. We needed to score in the second half.”
Elsewhere
Just a quick note to say that Bayern have been beaten 2-1 at home by Inter in their first leg tie.
Thomas Muller equalised with five minutes to go before Inter scored with a couple of minutes left.
‘Not surprised’
On Rice’s two worldie free kicks, Merino added: “We had a few free-kicks in the past week that we didn’t score.
“He has one of the best shooting abilities that I’ve seen in my career.
“I’m not surprised, maybe you are. Hopefully more will come in the future.”
Reaction
Mikel Merino told Prime Video: “We were talking in the dressing room about keeping the pace and tempo, obviously with the help of the crowd on our side.
“The second half was amazing, we played with full gas from the side.
“When this side plays like that the crowd go with us.”
Full match stats
In fact, here are the full stats from the game.
Interesting to see the possession appear as close as it did given the numbers here…
Stats
Again, Charlie is absolutely spot on.
If not for Thibaut Courtois, this could well and truly have been tie over.
Arsenal had 12 shots on goal in the game, with ELEVEN of them ending up on target!
He made a couple of top class saves, while a tremendous David Alaba clearance off the line stopped Mikel Merino scoring earlier than he did.
On that
In case you were wondering who it was that came out on top, Declan Rice has scored a rating of 11 out of 10 by our reporters.
I’ve certainly never seen that before and I’m a bit confused by it.
How is it only an 11!?
From Charlie Wyett at the Emirates
Well, this is a night that no Arsenal fan will ever forget. Not in their wildest dreams could they have imagined this.
The reigning champions of Europe have turned up in north London and been absolutely torn apart. Battered.
Had it not been for Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois, Arsenal could have won by even more.
Declan Rice scored two worldies and Mikel Merino grabbed the third but this was an outstanding team performance.
England team-mates Rice and Jude Bellingham came face-to-face in midfield but there was only one winner.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
