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London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | An incredible second-half performance, featuring two of the best free-kicks Emirates Stadium has ever witnessed, made for a magical Champions League night as Declan Rice’s first career brace helped beat Real Madrid in the first leg of our quarter-final tie.
After an entertaining, but goalless first half, Rice sparked unforgettable scenes with a curling free-kick to give Arsenal the lead. 10 minutes later he did it again, with an even better strike into the top corner from another set piece.
Mikel Merino, Arsenal’s centre forward for the night, was not to be outdone as he expertly struck home a first-time left-foot finish to make it 3-0, meaning a first meeting with Madrid since 2006 was well worth waiting for, but there is more work to be done next week in the Spanish capital.
Positive start
This night at Emirates Stadium had been keenly anticipated ever since this potential route to the final was mapped out, and the expectation levels reached new heights during a spine-tingling pre-match rendition of North London Forever, with the stadium in full voice.
It nearly fell flat inside 40 seconds though, when Kylian Mbappe pounced on a moment’s hesitation in Arsenal’s defence and got his shot away, but David Raya was safely behind it. Arsenal retaliated when a break down the left resulted in Thomas Partey testing Thibaut Courtois from the edge of the area, after Merino had laid the ball off to him, back to goal.
After the VAR officials took a long look at a potential handball against Raul Asencio before deeming nothing was untoward, Vinicius Junior shot wide after another fast break from inside their own half.
On the half-hour Mbappe had a great chance for the opener. Jude Bellingham turned defence into attack in the blink of an eye with a defence-splitting throughball, and the Frenchman had time to pick his spot but Raya was equal to his low shot. After Arsenal’s bright start, the Madrid forwards were beginning to make their presence known.
Unforgettable night. Unforgettable performance. pic.twitter.com/Y5ECiynjBe
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 8, 2025
Saka’s crosses unconverted
But Arsenal finished the half strongly, and Saka – back in the starting lineup for the first time since December – caused havoc with two crosses that went completely through the corridor of uncertainty and out the other end.
First, he got in behind David Alaba, and squared just in front of the goalline, but nobody was on hand to make contact. Moments later a similar low cross was just about diverted away from danger by Antonio Rudiger’s heel.
Both Saka and Martinelli were looking threatening in wide positions in an open, flowing game. Arsenal ‘s next chance also came from the right, Jurrien Timber swung a cross into the middle, but Merino’s header was palmed away by Courtois, and the keeper got up to keep out Martinelli’s follow-up as Arsenal went into the break with tails up.
Rice twice as nice
Chances continued to come in the second half. Mbappe fired into the side netting at one end while Rice was denied by a sliding block. But he was not to be denied when we won a free-kick, 10 yards outside the area when Saka was brought down.
The Arsenal midfielder stepped up and curled an incredible strike around the wall and just inside the post. He set his strike a good yard outside Courtois’s left-hand post, but the whip and power on his shot brought it back on target, giving the keeper no chance. Emirates Stadium erupted.
Thomas Partey, l promise you, I will never forget that first half performance against Real Madrid. Guy was so brilliant on the ball, scans before receiving the ball, reads the game better than everyone on the pitch. He plays 15 secs ahead of everyone. He controlled the tempo of… pic.twitter.com/FReHGWz5l7
— Abdu Dilshan Wasike (@WasikeAbdu) April 8, 2025
Arsenal were well on top now, and hunting the second. Incredibly three great chances within the space of 10 seconds were kept out by desperate Real defending. First, Martinelli’s shot was parried by Courtois, the rebound fell to Merino who caught it sweetly only for Alaba to clear off the line, and Courtois got up again to turn away Merino’s next shot.
Rice then had a shot blocked on the line by Bellingham. It was one-way traffic, and then the second goal came from another free-kick. This, arguably, was even better.
It was on the other side of the D, a good five or six yards outside the box. Rice this time rattled his right-footed shot straight into the top corner. Simply unstoppable.
Magical Merino
It went from good, to great, to incredible. Lewis-Skelly ran at the shell-shocked Real defence, squared for Merino who tucked home a first-time left-footed shot, almost nonchalantly, but powerfully into the bottom corner.
The atmosphere inside the stadium reached new levels. The 15-time and reigning European champions, looking to reach the last four for the fifth consecutive season, were on the ropes.
And the hosts restricted them to very little though as Arsenal maintained a healthy advantage for the second leg. One man who won’t be there though is Eduardo Camavinga, who having picked up a caution that would have resulted in a one-game ban anyway, then duly collected a second late on for kicking the ball away.
Arsenal are now well placed to reach only a third ever Champions League semi-final, and first for 16 years, but the job is not done yet.
*****
SOURCE: Arsenal.com (The Arsenal Football Club Limited.)
