Arsenal recorded an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners produced their best performance of the season in their biggest match of the season to sweep aside the defending champions in style.
The first half ended goalless but the hosts turned the game around thanks to Declan Rice, who scored a brace.
The English midfielder opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a stunning free kick, sending a superb effort curling around the wall past Courtois into the top corner.
In the 70th minute, he added the second goal with another unstoppable strike into the top-right corner, leaving Courtois with no chance.
Arteta’s men dominated Real Madrid, who seems to have no solution to all the questions from Arsenal.
The Gunners added the third through Mikel Merino in the 75th minute, who produced a left-footed finish beyond Courtois, and into the bottom corner to make it 3-0.
Real Madrid’s woes was compounded in the 95th minute when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off after picking up to yellow cards.
Declan Rice is the first player ever to score two goals from direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout stage match.
In the other Champions League match, Inter Milan recorded a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Lautaro Martinez gave Inter Milan the lead in the 38th minute before Thomas Muller brought Bayern Munich back into the game in the 85th minute.
Davide Frattesi scored the winning goal for Inter Milan in the 88th minute to hand the visitors a first-leg advantage.
Rice Makes History As Arsenal Defeat Real Madrid 3-0 is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
