Arsenal stunned Real Madrid with a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, marking one of the most memorable nights in the club’s European history.
The Gunners entered the match on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton in the Premier League, a result that further dented their faint hopes of lifting the domestic title. However, Mikel Arteta’s men rose to the occasion against the reigning Champions League champions, stifling a star-studded Madrid attack featuring Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr, limiting them to mere half-chances and long-range efforts.
The first half ended without a goal, but the game burst into life after the break. Declan Rice opened the scoring with a breathtaking free-kick, a curling masterpiece that left Thibaut Courtois motionless and sent the Emirates Stadium into raptures. Just 12 minutes later, Rice doubled Arsenal’s lead with an even more spectacular free-kick, this one arrowing into the top corner and leaving fans in awe. The cameras panned to Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos in the stands, witnessing the brilliance firsthand.
Mikel Merino sealed Arsenal’s historic triumph with a sublime finish, and the Gunners comfortably held Madrid at bay for the remainder of the match. With a commanding three-goal advantage, Arsenal will head to the Bernabeu next week brimming with belief that they can finish the job—though the nerves will undoubtedly creep in by April 16, given Madrid’s pedigree.
To celebrate this unforgettable night, here are 12 standout stats from Arsenal’s monumental performance:
– Declan Rice netted two direct free-kicks against Real Madrid, having never scored from a direct free-kick in his previous 338 appearances for West Ham and Arsenal.
– He became only the second Arsenal player to score multiple free-kicks in a Champions League match, following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry.
– Rice made history as the first Arsenal player to score a direct free-kick in the competition’s knockout stages.
– He joined an elite group—Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, and Hakim Ziyech—as the fifth player to score two direct free-kick goals in a single Champions League game.
– Rice stands alone as the only player to achieve this feat in a Champions League knockout match.
– Mikel Merino has now scored more goals against Real Madrid (4) than any other club in his career.
– Myles Lewis-Skelly became the second-youngest Englishman to start a Champions League quarter-final, behind only Jude Bellingham’s appearance against Manchester City in 2021.
– Lewis-Skelly outshone Luka Modric, recording more touches (74), completed passes (54), chances created (2), and assists (1) than the Madrid veteran.
– Arsenal peppered Madrid with 11 shots on target, matching the highest total against Real Madrid in a Champions League knockout game since 2003-04 (level with Liverpool’s 11 in March 2009).
– This 3-0 defeat ties Real Madrid’s heaviest loss in a Champions League knockout first leg, alongside their 4-1 thrashing by Borussia Dortmund in the 2012-13 semi-finals.
– Arsenal’s win marks the 12th time an English club has won by 3+ goals in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie—and all 11 prior instances saw the English side advance.
– Remarkably, Real Madrid have failed to score against Arsenal in all three of their Champions League encounters.
– Arsenal have notched 21 set-piece goals (excluding penalties) across all competitions this season, more than any other Premier League team.
