Arsenal Envisions Champions League Triumph as Rice Shines Against Real

Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta rallied his team with the mantra “make it happen” ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against the legendary Real Madrid, and on Tuesday, with the fervent North London crowd behind them, his players delivered.

In recent years, Arteta’s squad has often been seen as the runners-up, having come close to clinching the Premier League title in two seasons, only to be edged out by Manchester City, and painfully exiting the Champions League in the quarter-finals last season.

This season, an unexpected collapse from Liverpool would be needed for Arsenal to claim the English title, but following a resounding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg, European success now feels within reach.

While there remains an arduous journey ahead for Arsenal to secure their first Champions League title—particularly navigating the intimidating atmosphere of the Santiago Bernabeu next week and aiming to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009—the events of Tuesday felt like a defining moment for Arteta’s squad.

Declan Rice, whose rich midfield talents have never been predominantly about scoring spectacular goals, netted two exquisite free-kicks within a 12-minute spell in the second half, putting Arsenal firmly in control of the match.

His first goal, a stunning curling shot in the 58th minute, marked his first direct free-kick goal in his career and Arsenal’s first from a free-kick in any competition since September 2021.

Rice, who admitted afterwards that he had initially aimed to cross the ball, then astonished everyone with his second effort, leaving captain Martin Odegaard in utter disbelief.

According to data analysts at Opta, the likelihood of Rice scoring from both free-kicks was a mere 0.23%—no wonder Arsenal fans are starting to feel that destiny might be on their side.

There are other positives as well. Though Arsenal’s inability to keep up with Liverpool has been disappointing, they can now concentrate fully on their journey to Munich for the Champions League final.

The return of winger Bukayo Saka from his injury could not have come at a more opportune moment as Arsenal heads into the crucial stages of the Champions League. Saka, rejuvenated after his time on the sidelines, caused Real significant problems on Tuesday, and supporters will be hoping that his premature exit due to a knock was merely a precaution.

Odegaard orchestrated Arsenal’s attacking play brilliantly, teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly appeared unflappable on the big stage, and Mikel Merino, stepping in as a striker in place of the injured Kai Havertz, executed a finish of remarkable quality.

“When you play the way we did and have the performance we had, you need individuals to perform at the highest level, and I think everyone elevated the game,” Arteta remarked. “The individual displays were of the calibre required to overcome such an outstanding team.”

Despite Arsenal’s commanding advantage over Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Arteta knows all too well that Real Madrid will not relinquish their title without a fierce contest.

“We must keep progressing, and tonight we’ve taken a step in the right direction,” he noted afterwards. “We have to go to the Bernabeu and raise our level again to become the team we aspire to be.”