Declan Rice's Stunning Free-Kick Brace Stuns Real Madrid in Champions League Thriller
I still can’t believe what I witnessed at the Emirates – Declan Rice, of all people, scoring not one but two free-kicks against Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final. Let that sink in. A player who, up until his 339th professional game, had never scored a single free-kick, suddenly turns into a set-piece wizard on one of the biggest stages in club football. And he didn’t just do it once. He did it twice. Against the 15-time European champions. In the knockout stages. That's the stuff of dreams.
You could feel something electric in the air even before the match kicked off. Arsenal were hosting Real Madrid – a club synonymous with Champions League glory – and yet, it felt like the Gunners were the ones destined for greatness on the night. The first half was intense, with both teams jostling for control, but when Bukayo Saka earned a free-kick just outside the box in the 58th minute, Rice stepped up. And oh, did he deliver.
Also Read:- Priyansh Arya's Blazing Century Outshines Dhoni's Late Heroics in IPL 2025 Clash
- Ivan Demidov Signs with Canadiens in a Move That Signals a Bright Future
That first goal – curled around the wall, kissed past Thibaut Courtois – was already jaw-dropping. But the second? Just twelve minutes later, Rice did it again. This time, he went high into the top corner, the kind of precision that had Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard and manager Mikel Arteta literally holding their heads in disbelief. Even Roberto Carlos, watching from the stands, looked like he’d just seen a ghost. The Emirates erupted. The internet broke. Declan Rice, free-kick maestro? Nobody saw that coming.
And what makes this even more poetic is that Rice had only taken a dozen free-kicks in his entire career. It’s not something we associate with his game – he’s known for being the engine in midfield, the enforcer, the silent leader. But tonight, he was the artist. And you could see the emotion in his reaction – the disbelief, the pure joy. “It’s not going to hit me yet,” he said after the game. And honestly, we get it. Nights like this don’t come often.
To put this in context, Arsenal hadn’t scored a direct free-kick since 2021. That’s over three years ago. And here comes Rice, stepping up confidently after spotting a gap in the Madrid wall, even telling Saka, “If you feel it, go for it.” He felt it alright. Both times. And it wasn’t just him – the whole Arsenal side played like a team possessed. Merino’s third goal sealed a famous 3-0 win, putting the Gunners in control going into the second leg at the Bernabéu.
But even with this historic victory, Rice remained grounded. “It’s not over,” he reminded everyone. And he’s right. This is Real Madrid we’re talking about – kings of the comeback, especially at home. But if Arsenal do go through, we’ll look back at these two free-kicks as the moment everything changed. Declan Rice didn’t just score goals. He carved his name into Arsenal folklore.
Read More:
0 Comments