Arsenal vs Real Madrid lit up the Champions League quarter-finals as the Gunners delivered a dominant 3-0 win at home. Declan Rice stole the spotlight with two spectacular free-kick goals — the first of his career — helping Arsenal take a huge step toward the semi-finals. Real Madrid, who came in as tournament favorites, struggled throughout the match and were reduced to ten men after Camavinga’s late red card.
Midfielder Declan Rice was the star of the show, scoring two stunning free-kicks — the first of his career — in the 58th and 70th minutes to break open the match. Just five minutes later, Mikel Merino added a third goal after a brilliant team move involving Myles Lewis-Skelly and Leandro Trossard.
Real Madrid struggled to gain any rhythm, with Arsenal dominating possession and showing complete control in midfield. Los Blancos managed just two shots on target, both easily handled by Arsenal’s keeper David Raya.
Thibaut Courtois, returning from injury, kept the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided with several key saves. But the night went from bad to worse for Madrid when Eduardo Camavinga received a red card late in the match, ruling him out of the second leg.
After the final whistle, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team’s focus and execution, calling it “one of the most complete European performances” under his leadership. Still, he warned that “nothing is done yet,” with a second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu still to come.
Real Madrid now face a massive uphill battle to overturn the deficit at home — a challenge they’ve overcome before, but rarely against a side this sharp.
The winner of this tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.