Arsenal’s Polish defender #15 Jakub Kiwior smiles with Arsenal’s English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka following the UEFA Champions League Quarter closing first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Actual Madrid, on the Emirates Stadium, in London, on April 8, 2025. — AFP
LONDON: Arsenal pulled off a shocking 3-0 victory over Champions League holders Actual Madrid on the Emirates Stadium, with Declan Rice scoring two excellent free-kicks and Mikel Merino including a 3rd to depart the Spanish giants reeling of their quarter-final first leg.
Rice scored two majestic free-kicks within the second half of the quarter-final first leg on the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Merino added Arsenal’s third objective earlier than Actual’s Eduardo Camavinga was despatched off for kicking the ball away within the closing minutes, leaving the Spanish giants in disarray.
The brilliance of Rice’s brace can’t be understated, with even Actual keeper Thibaut Courtois – often so impressed on Champions League nights – unable to get wherever close to the England midfielder’s thunderbolts.
Extremely, Rice had by no means scored a free-kick in his profession earlier than the primary of his missiles hit the again of the Actual internet.
It was not more than Arsenal deserved for a mature efficiency that uncovered injury-hit Actual in ruthless type.
Mikel Arteta’s males will journey to the Bernabeu for the second leg on April 16 as agency favourites to advance to a semi-final tie towards Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa, who meet of their quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
The Gunners haven’t reached the Champions League semi-finals since 2009, however that focus on is now inside their grasp after a night that can go down as probably the most memorable within the membership’s storied historical past.
Arteta had labelled the conflict with Actual because the “biggest night” of his profession as he urged his gamers to put in writing their very own historical past by profitable Arsenal’s first Champions League crown.
They rose to the problem so efficiently that even Arteta might need been shocked.
Arsenal path Premier League leaders Liverpool by 11 factors and look destined to complete as runners-up for a 3rd successive season.
However the Champions League now affords Arteta real hope of a primary main trophy for the reason that 2020 FA Cup – offered they’ll end the job in Madrid subsequent week.
Crushed by Bayern Munich within the quarter-finals final season, Arsenal’s solely Champions League closing look resulted in defeat towards Barcelona in 2006 – a run that included a last-16 victory over Actual.
For Actual, it was a chastening defeat because the 15-time European champions had been punished for the failings that had already seen them overwhelmed 10 instances in all competitions this time period, as they lag 4 factors behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Arsenal in dreamland
Jude Bellingham was largely nameless and Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Júnior posed solely sporadic threats after a promising begin.
Vinicius Junior threatened within the opening phases, curling broad after Mbappe picked him out contained in the Arsenal space.
Mbappe’s electrical tempo took him away from the Arsenal defence in one other lightning raid, however the France star shot straight at David Raya.
Arsenal confirmed no indicators of being cowed by Actual’s star-studded assault, and Rice’s towering header from Jurrien Timber’s cross compelled a advantageous save from Thibaut Courtois, who scrambled throughout to maintain out Gabriel Martinelli’s effort from the rebound.
Mbappe lashed into the side-netting from an acute angle, however Actual had been unable to match Arsenal’s depth within the second half, and the Gunners deservedly took the lead within the 58th minute.
Rice stepped up 25 yards from objective and whipped a chic free-kick across the Actual wall and into the far nook.
It was a shocking strike that even former Actual defender and set-piece maestro Roberto Carlos, watching from the Emirates stands, would have been happy with.
Arsenal virtually struck once more in a outstanding sequence that noticed Courtois save Martinelli’s blast earlier than Merino’s shot from the rebound was hacked off the road by David Alaba, and Courtois once more denied Merino.
Actual had been on the ropes and Rice landed one other devastating blow within the seventieth minute, lashing an unstoppable free-kick into the highest nook from 20 yards as Courtois grasped at skinny air.
Because the ecstatic Arsenal followers roared “Declan Rice, we got him half-price”, that reference to his £105 million charge didn’t seem to be hyperbole for as soon as.
Arsenal weren’t completed but, and Merino put Arsenal in dreamland 5 minutes later with a scientific end from 12 yards because the Emirates changed into a roiling pink sea of celebration.
