Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: Two Declan Rice Free-Kicks and a Mikel Merino Strike saw Arsenal benefit to let Champions League holders Real Madrid in deep problems
A few sensational declan rice free-kicks sets Arsenal on his way to a breathtaking victory over Real Madrid in the first stage of their quarterfinals of the Champions League. Mikel Merino added a third 15 minutes of time to let the defense of the reigning champions of their title hang on a thread.
Rice opened the score in a certain style and broke a free kick of 30 meters early in the second half in the second half that did not give Thibaut Courtois a chance. However, they didn't have to wait long for their second and Rice was the most important man again.
If the first goal was good, his second demonstrably was better. From the moment the ball left its boot, there was only one place where it went.
Merino was quickly denied twice in succession with the score at 1-0, where David Alaba knew his first attempt by De Lijn and Courtois kept his second. In the end, however, he got his goal and sent a sharp finish in the far corner of the network of Courtois.
Arsenal will travel to the Spanish capital next week with a golden chance to continue to the semi -final. Their opponents will know that they should be much better to have a chance themselves – and it got worse when Eduardo Camavinga let a second yellow card picked up for kicking the ball away.
Both teams had fewer than ideal preparations for the competition. Arsenal struggled to make a lot in a Saturday -drawing in Everton, while Real Madrid ran a shock house sprout against Valencia this weekend. Arsenal may have felt more pressure to bring the game to their opponents while they kept home advantage, and the side of Mikel Arteta was stimulated in that respect by Bukayo Saka's return to European action.
The Gunners were given a half-time lead when Courtois made a sharp double save. First he went to the right to palmer a rice head, and he quickly had to get up again to deny Gabriel Martinelli's well -hit shot on the rebound
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In the end, however, the hosts rose in the second half to leave their opponents shocked. Here are the talk points of Mirror Football from the Emirates Stadium.
1. Arsenal's new set piece King
The struggles of Real Madrid about defending set pieces occurred during the structure of the game. We used to get a glimpse of why they might have been worried, with a delivery that causes panic and the ball that William Saliba struck when it could have crawled over the line.
However, it appears that set piece of bravery can take many forms. Earlier in the season it meant that center-backs attack high balls, but Rice showed that there is still a path to goal.
You would be difficult to find a few more free kicks in the same game with that quality level. To do it on the biggest stage, it tells his own story.
2. Courtois can only do so much
Thibaut Courtois knows better than most of what is needed to excel in the sharp end of the Champions League. He helped to take Atletico Madrid in 2014 within a minute or two and had to be at his best in his two wins with his current club.
The big double save at the end of the first half was not the best he will do, but doing this after he was relatively little to do before that time is what is important. And his second half stop from Merino was also not too poor, and maybe it would have been more important without what came from both sides.
However, there was not much that he could have done with Rice's opener, with the English star produced pace and curls to send the ball into the corner. Sometimes a player produces a moment of sparkle that even the best keeper cannot deny, and sometimes they do it twice.
3. Saka is approaching his best
There was a shaky moment for Saka early when his loose pass Vinicius Junior allowed to break, but the Real Madrid star could not fully benefit because his last ball was missing. A little rustiness can probably be expected when you consider that the last Champions League minutes of the English star came against Monaco in mid-December.
Eight minutes after the break we saw the Saka that we got to know for the first time and that we love. He created the smallest opening from nothing, pushed a low ball over the six-year box, but there was no arsenal body to take advantage,
A few minutes later he became free again and again nobody was waiting for the tap-in. It is the kind of things that some complained about the lack of an orthodox striker instead of Mikel Merino … until Merino himself came to the action.
4. Two stars at the opposite ends of their career
When Myles Lewis-Skelly was born, Luka Modric already had 10 senior caps and one senior goal for Croatia. That probably gives you enough of an idea of ​​the different phases of their career where the two players are.
The left back of Arsenal – which, let's not forget, if a midfielder was considered less than a year ago – has been asked to grow up quickly in recent months. And yet, in the first half hour, he saw when someone else on the field earns on the field, while Modric had trouble applying before he was withdrawn early.
Lewis-Skelly only became the second Englishman to start a quarter-final of the Champions League of 18 years or younger. The first? None other than opponent for the night Jude Bellingham.
5. Real Madrid has to do it all
This time Liverpool went a little less than six years ago in the second stage of a Knockout Stroptdas from Champions League in search of a shortage of three goals. Real Madrid will know that it was done earlier, but it would require a large display of second legs.
Of course you can never write Real Madrid in Europe. Los Blancos has now returned enough to death to know.
However, if the side of Carlo Ancelotti has to launch an escape act this season, it will cost a monumental effort. And that is all to Arsenal who produces something incredibly special at home of their own.
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