Rice’s stunning freekick double spurs Arsenal to 3-0 win over Real Madrid

Arsenal’s Declan Rice, right, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in London.
| Photo Credit: AP

Declan Rice’s two fantastic freekicks and a striker’s finish from Mikel Merino gave Arsenal an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday (April 8, 2025).

The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger’s clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at Thibault Courtois.

Real grew into the contest and threatened on the break, but Courtois was by far the busier goalkeeper and produced a stunning double save on the stroke of halftime to keep the game level.

There was no stopping Rice’s opener, though, a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for the midfielder’s first senior goal from a direct freekick.

Arsenal could have been two-up shortly after, but for more heroics from Courtois, who produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from Merino in between David Alaba’s goalline block.

Rice’s second freekick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-time European champions looking stunned.

Merino then coolly fired substitute Leandro Trossard’s pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.

Real will have to try and overhaul that lead without Camavinga, who was shown a second yellow card in the closing seconds for kicking the ball away.

The winner of the tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris St Germain in the semi-finals.