Arsenal will really feel that they should take a bonus into subsequent week’s second leg in opposition to Actual Madrid, and they’re on target to take action as two second of magics have gotten them on the best way to victory within the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on the Emirates.
The primary half noticed each groups go near scoring, with Mikel Merino and Kylian Mbappe each denied by necessary saves from David Raya and Thibaut Courtois respectively. However thankfully for Arsenal, the latter has now been overwhelmed on a number of events, as they’ve gone 3-0 up after 75 minutes.
And it’s the first two targets that can steal the headlights, with Declan Rice scoring equivalent free-kicks that left Courtois with completely no probability in any respect.
Declan Rice scores two unbelievable free-kicks for Arsenal
Rice’s first effort was on the best aspect, and he curled it across the wall and into the highest nook of the close to submit. His second strike was from the left, however he nonetheless managed to seek out the identical nook, with Courtois’ desperately diving and getting nowhere close to on each events.
Merino would then add a 3rd for Arsenal 5 minutes after Rice’s second free-kick because the Emirates was despatched into dreamland. Mikel Arteta’s aspect have produced a ferocious efficiency in opposition to the defending champions, and they’re already agency favourites to succeed in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the place they might face Aston Villa or Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal are reportedly involved in a summer season transfer for Arda Guler, and the Actual Madrid attacker may solely watch from the bench as his present aspect conceded 3 times in 16 minutes. The Gunners should not change into complacent because the job is nowhere close to performed but, and they’re going to nonetheless want to supply a giant defensive efficiency on the Santiago Bernabeu subsequent week if they’re to succeed in the semi-finals.
