Declan Rice Makes History with Stunning Free-Kick Double as Arsenal Sweeps Real Madrid

LONDON — In a night that will be etched into Arsenal folklore, Declan Rice delivered the unthinkable — not once, but twice — as the Gunners cruised to a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.

Declan Rice Makes History with Stunning Free-Kick Double
Heading into his 339th professional appearance, Rice had never scored a free-kick. In fact, in his entire career, the England midfielder had taken just 12. That all changed on a remarkable evening in North London.

With the tie poised at 0-0 in the 58th minute, Rice stood over the ball and curled home a sublime strike to open the scoring — his first-ever goal from a direct free-kick. The Emirates erupted. But the best was yet to come.

Just 12 minutes later, Rice stepped up again. This time, from a distance, he sent an unstoppable effort into the top corner. The Emirates crowd erupted once more — but perhaps no reactions were more telling than those of captain Martin Ødegaard and manager Mikel Arteta, both left stunned with hands on their heads in disbelief. Watching from the stands, Brazilian free-kick legend Roberto Carlos looked on, glum-faced.

In doing so, Rice became the first player in Champions League history to score two free-kicks in a knockout stage match — a feat all the more remarkable given his prior record.

Speaking to Amazon Prime after the match, a visibly emotional Rice reflected on the achievement:
"I don't know whether it will ever sink in," he said. "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. I don't think it's going to hit me, what I've done tonight. It's a historic night."

Arsenal’s dominant performance was capped off by a late goal from Bukayo Saka, giving them a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

But it was Rice’s brace that stole the headlines — a player known for his defensive steel now etching his name into Champions League history with a display of flair, finesse, and fearless execution.


This article is based on key information initially published by BBC News. While we have rewritten the content in our own words, the core points have been referenced from the original source. We acknowledge and appreciate their work—please visit their website for the full coverage.

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