Cliff Notes – Rice’s strikes stun Madrid
- The quarter final first legs of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League commence with eight teams vying for a place in the semifinals.
- Arsenal faces Real Madrid, while Bayern Munich takes on Internazionale in Tuesday’s matches.
Champions League as it happened: Rice’s strikes stun Madrid
It’s back! Tuesday marks the first day of the quarter final first legs for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. Europe’s premier club competition has whittled down to eight teams as the semifinals await the winners.
Declan Rice had never scored a free-kick after 339 games he’d scored two, and both were spectacular.
With the Gunners on top but level at 0-0, the England midfielder stood up and curled round the Madrid wall and past Thibaut Courtois to put his side deservedly ahead after 58 minutes.
Then 12 minutes later the 26-year-old stepped up and did it again, making him the first player to score two free-kicks in a Champions League knockout match.
The sensational curling strike into the top corner was that good it left Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and boss Mikel Arteta with their hands on their heads in disbelief.
Former Real Madrid and Brazil left-back Roberto Carlos – himself a master from a set-piece during his career – was seen looking glum-faced in the stands.
“I don’t know whether it will ever sink in,” Rice told Amazon Prime after the game.
Enjoy the play-by-play from Tuesday’s games: Arsenal against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich against Internazionale.
Additional sources
Declan Rice’s double rocket sinks Real Madrid to put Arsenal in dreamland – The Guardian
Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: Declan Rice scores two sensational free-kicks as Champions League holders stunned – Sky Sports