In a night that will be etched into Arsenal’s storied history, the Gunners delivered a breathtaking 3-0 victory over defending champions Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie at the Emirates Stadium.
The win, powered by two sensational free-kicks from Declan Rice and a clinical finish by Mikel Merino, has given Arsenal a commanding lead as they head to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg next week.
Declan Rice, Arsenal’s midfield maestro, stole the show with a historic brace of free-kicks, his first ever from direct set-pieces in his professional career.
Mikel Merino sealed the rout in the 75th minute, finishing off a flowing team move with a precise shot that left Courtois helpless.
For Real Madrid, the loss marks their fifth defeat in the Champions League this season, equalling their worst-ever campaign in the competition
Arsenal’s standout performers included Rice, who earned widespread praise for his set-piece heroics, and young full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, who at 18 years and 194 days became the second-youngest Englishman to start a Champions League quarter-final. Real Madrid, meanwhile, saw Eduardo Camavinga sent off late in the game after receiving a second yellow card, further compounding their woes.