'I don't think it's going to hit me' - Rice revels in free-kick magic

Declan Rice has scored four goals in 10 Champions League games this season

After 338 games in his professional career Declan Rice had never scored a free-kick.

After 339 he'd scored two.

He'd only taken 12 free-kicks across his entire career before Tuesday's sensational 3-0 win for Arsenal over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Emirates Stadium.

With the Gunners on top but the game level at 0-0, England midfielder Rice curled the ball around the Madrid wall and past Thibaut Courtois to put Arsenal 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 manager Mikel Arteta with their hands on their heads in disbelief.

Former Real Madrid and Brazil defender 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.

"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."

The first goal...

Arsenal have become renowned for their threat at set-pieces, and Rice has the joint second-highest dead-ball assists (eight) in all competitions over the past two seasons.

But scoring from direct free-kicks is something different.

Arteta said after the game that Arsenal had not scored one since September 2021, although Opta data shows Bukayo Saka scored against Paris St-Germain in October 2024 from a free-kick which drifted in from the right touchline.

Since the 2021 Odegaard free-kick goal against Burnley, Arsenal have attempted 70 direct free-kick strikes in all competitions and Odegaard has taken 30 of them.

Despite Arsenal's set-piece coach Nicolas Jover signalling for Rice to cross it, Rice said after the match that he saw the space around the wall for the first goal and told Saka he was confident.

The England winger responded: "If you feel it, go for it."

Rice said: "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."

It didn't stop Jover wheeling off in celebration and Rice said later that the coach was "claiming it".

Arteta said: "He can claim it if he wants, it doesn't matter. It's incredible."

The second goal...

'It's been in the locker'

If the opener was the goal that Arsenal deserved for their dominance, the best was yet to come.

Former England striker Alan Shearer said it was "absolutely incredible" and former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf said "not even Superman would get it".

Rice said: "It looks far out. We were going to touch and set it - me and Martin, but (Kylian) Mbappe was kind of stood too close.

"But then I thought, I've got the keeper's side, I practise this so much - I was going to go for it. If it went over the bar it wouldn't matter.

"It's been in the locker, but I've hit the wall too many times or it's gone over the bar.

"I'm excited. I'm happy. I'm over the moon. But in a few years' time this will really hit me that what I've done tonight was really special."

This was Rice's biggest moment in an Arsenal shirt, but Arteta and midfielder Mikel Merino, who scored the third goal, were not surprised.

"If there's a player who can do it, how clean he strikes it, it's Declan," said Arteta.

"But you have to execute it at the highest level, and against one of the best keeper's in the world as well. It's amazing.

"He's been very determined because we have been talking the last few months."

Merino said: "He has one of the best shooting abilities that I've seen in my career. I'm not surprised. Hopefully more will come in the future."

Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live it was "a night to remember" for Rice and he "single-handedly made the difference".

'At the Bernabeu special things happen'

The return leg at the Bernabeu takes place on 16 April - and there are plenty of good omens for Arsenal.

Their win is the 12th time an English side have won by three or more goals in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie. Each of the 11 previous winners have progressed.

However, Real Madrid are a different beast at the Bernabeu and will only need to look back to 2022 when they overturned a 5-3 aggregate score in the final minutes against Manchester City.

"To beat Real Madrid in this competition, it's a big night for us," said Rice.

"But even if we're 3-0 up, the individual quality they have is scary.

"At the Bernabeu special things happen for them.

"We want to win this competition, but we have to take it one game at a time."