Arsenal delivered a stunning 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, led by Declan Rice, who scored the first free-kicks of his career with two exceptional strikes in the second half.
The Gunners dominated from the outset, creating early pressure and nullifying Madrid’s attack, with Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé unable to make an impact.
Rice’s double—both curled beautifully past Courtois—ignited the Emirates crowd before Mikel Merino sealed the emphatic win with a third goal. Eduardo Camavinga’s late red card compounded Madrid’s misery.
Despite being less experienced in Europe, Arsenal showed ruthless quality and now stand on the brink of their first semi-final since 2009, while Madrid face a daunting task at the Bernabéu.
