Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was left in awe of Declan Rice’s stunning set-piece brace against Real Madrid as the Gunners took a giant leap towards the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-0 victory. Rice’s first-ever direct free-kick goal opened the scoring at the Emirates, followed by another just 12 minutes later, leaving captain Martin Odegaard visibly amazed.
Mikel Merino added the third, putting Arsenal in a strong position for the second leg at the Bernabeu. And Arteta insists the Londoners have “a lot more to give” just yet. After Rice’s 338 games without a direct free-kick goal and Arsenal‘s four-year drought from such situations, Arteta said: “Declan’s been very determined because we have said in the last few months that we have not scored a direct free-kick in three-and-half years.
“So, to score two goals in 12 minutes of that magnitude and of that quality from the same player, a player that has never scored a free-kick before in his career, what are the odds?”
Arsenal‘s stunning victory over the 15-time European Cup winners was a night to remember, with manager Arteta hailing the pre-kick-off atmosphere: “This night was all about two factors; one is the atmosphere that we created 15 minutes before kick-off with something I haven’t seen before. And then the magic, the individual moments that decide all matches. And the first two goals from Declan sums up the night.”
Arsenal delivered a dominant performance that could be etched in history as their greatest European night at the Emirates since their 2006 move – reminiscent of their victory against Real Madrid en route to the Champions League final.
Despite trailing Liverpool by 11 points in the Premier League, Arsenal‘s focus now shifts to their upcoming match against Brentford, followed by the second leg in Spain.
Arteta added: “When you have not played against this team for the past 20 years, and not had a proper run in this competition, you have to be prepared to write your own history, and it is on nights like this where you can do that. We did that but we have a lot more to give.”
The evening was capped off when Merino scored Arsenal‘s third goal, leaving Carlo Ancelotti’s squad reeling, and Eduardo Camavinga’s dismissal in stoppage time added to their woes as he saw red after a second yellow card.
Carlo Ancelotti, after a disappointing game, remained cautiously optimistic about a comeback at the Bernabeu. “If you look at the game tonight there is no possibility (of a comeback) – but nobody expected Rice would score two goals from set-pieces, so in football anything can happen,” he said.
“The possibility is low but we have to try 100 per cent, and do all we can. It is an opportunity to show a response to a poor game.”
