Declan Rice (26, Arsenal), who sank the 'defending champion' Real Madrid, talked about his two free kicks.

On the 9th (Korea time), Arsenal achieved a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League at Emirates Stadium in London, England, led by Rice's multi-goal performance.

With this, Arsenal has secured a favorable position for advancing to the semifinals. Before the match, there was a lot of speculation about Real Madrid’s victory, but Arsenal fully dominated the 'king of the Champions League' Real Madrid by taking advantage of their home field.

On this day, Arsenal lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. At the forefront were Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, and Bukayo Saka, with Rice, Thomas Partey, and Martin Ødegaard in midfield. The back four was made up of Miles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba, and Jurrien Timber, while the goalkeeper gloves were worn by David Raya.

In response, Real Madrid's attack was led by Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé, with Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modrić, and Rodrygo in midfield. The back four consisted of David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asensio, and Federico Valverde. The goal was defended by Thibaut Courtois.

The first half concluded with both teams operating cautiously and no goals scored. Arsenal sought chances through build-up plays centered around Rice and Ødegaard, while Real mounted counterattacks led by Vinícius, but neither side could finish. The first half ended 0-0.

As the second half began, the atmosphere changed drastically. Arsenal seized the momentum through a meticulously prepared set-piece strategy. In the 14th minute, Rice took a free kick in front of the box and delivered a precise shot, with Courtois failing to react properly as the net rippled. Arsenal took a 1-0 lead.

After taking the lead, Arsenal became even more aggressive. In the 21st minute, Martinelli's shot was blocked by Courtois, and Merino attempted another shot, but was thwarted by Real’s fierce defense. A subsequent corner kick also saw desperate defending from Bellingham.

In the 26th minute, Rice took another free kick opportunity, and this time, with even more precision, he bent the shot into the corner of the goal. Arsenal extended their lead to 2-0.

Having seized the momentum, Arsenal scored a third goal in the 30th minute. A pass connected by Troisième was calmly laid off by Lewis-Skelly to Merino, who finished with a left-footed shot, bringing the score to 3-0.

Real Madrid collapsed rapidly. In stoppage time of the second half, Camavinga received a yellow card for unnecessary time-wasting, leading to his dismissal. Given that the warning came in a situation where the game was already in a downturn, it was particularly disappointing.

In the end, Arsenal overwhelmed Real Madrid with a perfect performance at home, securing a favorable position for advancing to the semifinals.

After the match, the UEFA Champions League announced on its official website that Rice was selected as the Player of the Match (POTM). The technical observer noted, "It was a wonderful display in midfield. He scored two fantastic free kicks at the most necessary moments, and the fact that the stage was the Champions League quarterfinal made it even more special. His stamina and power were a great help in Arsenal's explosive performance in the second half. Rice's movement between the lines was excellent, and his linking play with Martinelli on the left side was also great. He fully deserves this award."

In an interview with 'Amazon Prime', Rice said, "After the weekend match, the coach emphasized how much confidence we need to have to win this match. He mentioned that we need to believe 'we can win; we can beat this team.'"

He remarked, "All the players had a strong conviction that we fight for each other. We knew we had to score in the second half, and it was really positive that we could score three goals," speaking about the players' trust.

He also spoke about the two free kicks that led to the victory. Rice explained, "To be honest, I originally wanted to put in a cross. However, after seeing the position of the wall and the goalkeeper, I thought, 'Let’s just take a shot.' I had tried it many times before, but there were many occasions where it got blocked by the wall or went wide. This time, luck was on my side, and it felt good."

Rice said, "I just took the shot with confidence. I still can’t believe it. There’s still the second leg to go, and for now, I'm just happy and excited and very joyful. A few years from now, I think I will realize, 'Wow, that day I really did something special.'" He smiled.

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