Declan Rice scores two sensational free-kicks as Arsenal stun Real Madrid

The opening free-kick was a moment of pure magic. As most expected Bukayo Saka to take the shot, it was Rice who stepped up, and what followed was nothing short of spectacular. From a tight angle, Rice curled the ball perfectly around the wall and inside the post for a stunning opener, his first-ever direct free-kick goal in his career.

The Emirates erupted in celebration, but just minutes later, Rice delivered even more brilliance. This time, he caught goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois off guard with a brilliantly placed strike that swerved across goal and crashed into the top corner. Madrid were left shell-shocked, struggling to recover from the rapid-fire double blow.

Just when it seemed like things couldn't get better for the Gunners, Mikel Merino, once again playing as a makeshift striker, put Arsenal further ahead. The Spaniard latched onto a crisp square pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly on the edge of the box and slotted home with a first-time finish into the bottom corner.

Real Madrid, who had dominated European football for decades, seemed powerless in the face of Arsenal's high-octane performance. Their night went from bad to worse when midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time, adding insult to injury.

The first half had been a thrilling, end-to-end spectacle, with both teams creating plenty of chances. Thomas Partey came agonizingly close to scoring, his header cleared off the line by William Saliba. Courtois was forced into a double save to deny Rice and Gabriel Martinelli, while Saka, making his first start since returning from injury, was a constant menace for the Madrid defense.

Madrid did have moments of danger, particularly on the break, with Kylian Mbappe squandering a golden one-on-one opportunity, sending the ball over the bar before forcing a fine save from David Raya. However, after Rice's sensational free-kick brace, the visitors' resistance evaporated.

Arsenal could have scored even more. Courtois was again called into action, producing key saves to deny Martinelli and Merino, while David Alaba cleared a Merino shot off the line. But with three goals already on the board, it was clear that this night belonged to Arsenal.

For Real Madrid, this was a humbling defeat, their joint-heaviest loss in a Champions League knockout tie. For Arsenal, it was a monumental result that has them firmly in the driver's seat heading into next week's second leg.

Despite the joy, there was a slight concern as both Saka and Rice appeared to pick up knocks toward the end of the match, though Mikel Arteta reassured that they didn't seem serious.

Arteta was full of praise after the game: "I'm very proud. We had a very complete performance, and we did what we had to do to win that game. It's about two things: first, the atmosphere, which was like nothing I've ever seen, even 15 minutes before kick-off. And second, the magic moments—Declan's free-kicks summed it all up."

Reflecting on the win, Arteta added, "I was convinced this could happen. I sensed that we could create problems, but you have to make it happen. If you believe it, you can deliver it. We did that, but it's only half-time."

With a stunning performance in the bag, Arsenal are now in the driving seat, and the second leg promises to be a fiery clash.