Declan Rice may have scored two of the best free kick goals ever in Champions League knockout history.
The best part of what the former West Ham midfielder did was, he scored the free-kicks in 12 minutes after previously failing to score one in 338 games.
On his 339th game for West Ham and Arsenal, Rice picked his spot and gave Courtois, who was excellent on the night, no chance.
Rice’s first of the two goals came after 58 minutes.
Arsenal were mulling what the procedure was going to be, with Odegaard and Saka behind the ball.
A consensus was not reached, but Rice decided to let fly from about 30-35 yards.
“It didn’t make sense from that angle to cross the ball. It would have to be a delicate pass. “I’m happy I took it because it was magic, Rice told Amazon Prime.
Rice became the first player to score two free kicks in a Champions League knockout game, and the first-ever to do it against record holders of the competition, Real Madrid.
Undoubtedly, Tuesday night was Rice’s biggest moment yet in an Arsenal shirt. The feat left Rice dumbfounded.
“I don’t know whether it will ever sink in,”I’ve gone back to my phone then and it’s gone crazy. To score my first free-kick in a game is a special one. And then when I got the second one… I just had the confidence. I’m speechless really. “I don’t think it’s going to hit me, what I’ve done tonight. It’s a historic night.”
Arsenal head into the second leg, on April 16, with the odds firmly stacked in their favour.
