Declan Rice stunned Real Madrid with two brilliant free kicks - the first scored in his career - before Mikel Merino scored another as Arsenal took a commanding 3-0 first leg lead in their Champions League quarter-final at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, April 8. Mikel Arteta had asked the Arsenal fans to arrive early to create an impressive atmosphere inside the stadium, and the team responded by starting the game quickly with a number of dangerous crosses into the Madrid penalty area. ALSO READ: Kwibuka31: Arsenal, PSG stand with Rwanda in commemoration It took until the 20th minute for Madrid to have their first real chance, when Vinicius Jr curled an effort wide. But Rice took control of the tie for Arsenal in the second half. The Gunners were the better side all evening and took the lead in the 58th minute, when Rice curled the first of two excellent free-kicks round the Real Madrid wall into the corner of the net past Thibaut Courtois. Rice scored his second of the night with a free-kick of equal quality 12 minutes later, bending another long-range effort into the top right-hand corner to leave Madrid stunned. Mikel Merino then made sure it was a memorable night for Arsenal when he curled a shot into the bottom corner from inside the area just five minutes later. Things only got worse for Madrid when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off in stoppage time for picking up a second yellow card. With the victory, President Paul Kagame congratulated the Gunners, who are Rwanda’s tourism partner via Visit Rwanda since 2018, for the big victory over the Spanish giants. “Here Gunners We Go. Big victory and game. Alwz had faith....Congrats,” Kagame said in a post on X after Arsenal’s victory. The second leg will take place in Madrid on April 14. Arsenal have not reached the semi-finals stage of the Champions League since the 2008-09 season, but they have given themselves a huge chance of progressing to the last four with this result. Here Gunners we Go. Big victory and game. Alwz had faith....Congrats. :):). — Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) April 8, 2025
