Author of two delicious free kicks in twelve minutes, the English midfielder left his mark on this quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. In the other evening match, Inter won 2-1 on the pitch of Bayern Munich.
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This is a double which alone justifies the cannon present on the Arsenal crest. By scoring two magnificent direct free kicks in the space of 12 minutes, Tuesday April 8, Declan Rice single-handedly destroyed Real Madrid in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. The Gunners’ English midfielder made his mark twice in the second act, to put his team in orbit before Mikel Merino completed the success of the Londoners (3-0) at the Emirates Stadium.
Copiously dominated, Real Madrid could only contemplate the damage, despite a Kylian Mbappé on his feet in the first act and author of the most dangerous opportunity for the Madrilenians. But, like his team, the Frenchman did not exist in a second half completely controlled by Mikel Arteta’s men, who will approach the return match, Wednesday April 16, with a three-goal lead. In the other poster of the evening, Inter Milan won 2-1 on the pitch of Bayern Munich.
Under the eyes of Roberto Carlos, legendary Brazilian full-back specializing in free kicks, Declan Rice paid him an involuntary tribute with his first gem of the evening. On the right facing the Real Madrid goal, around 25 meters away, the Englishman dodged the wall by rolling hard with his right. An outgoing trajectory which recalled that of an anthology goal from the Brazilian, against France in 1997and who deceived Thibaut Courtois. Above all, this cannon shot allowed the Gunners to finally realize their clear domination just before the hour mark (58th, 1-0).
Never a scorer from a free kick in 13 career attempts, the Englishman achieved the unprecedented feat of then scoring a second, undoubtedly even more beautiful. This time on the left, barely closer to the opposing goal, Declan Rice fired a precision missile towards the top corner of Thibaut Courtois (2-0, 70th), thus becoming the first player to score a double from a free kick in a knockout match in the Champions League. “On the first one, II saw the wall move away and I took my chance, it was a question of feeling. On the second, it was confidence that allowed me to try. It was incredible”welcomed the hero of the evening.
Five minutes later, Mikel Merino came to knock out Real Madrid with a beautiful curling shot, to complete the triumph for the Gunners (75th, 3-0). The second yellow card, synonymous with expulsion at the end of the match for Eduardo Camavinga, for a gesture of humor, does not help the situation of a Real Madrid condemned to the feat at Santiago Bernabeu, next Wednesday, in the quarter-final second leg.
The mission will be almost just as complicated for Bayern Munich of Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise. Because the Bavarians will have to win the same evening, at Giuseppe-Meazza to overthrow Inter Milan. The Interists indeed won 2-1 in Munich on Tuesday, notably thanks to a superb goal from Lautaro Martinez, magnificently served by Marcus Thuram.
