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Mikel Arteta drafted Declan Rice’s magical double line against Real Madrid and then demanded that Arsenal ” much more to give ‘in their historical effort to win the Champions League.
Rice opened the standings at the Emirates with the first direct free kick of his career at 58 minutes before landing a second twelve minutes later.
Mikel Merino scored the third with 75 minutes, when Arsenal sealed a 3-0 win at the Emirates to take a big step towards the semi-finals before returning the next week at the Bernabeu.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, Rice had never recorded professional appearances of a direct free kick in 338. Arsenal has also failed to find the net from a direct set of seating in almost four years, with their last coming via Martin Odegaard against Burnley in September 2021.
Here, Captain Odegaard put his hands on his head when Rice completed his double piece double.
And Arteta said: “Declan has been very determined because we have said over the past few months that in three and a half years we have not achieved a direct free kick.
‘To score two goals in 12 minutes of that scope and of that quality of the same player, a player who has never scored a free kick in his career, what is the chance?
‘This night was about two factors; One is the atmosphere that we created 15 minutes before kicking off with something I haven’t seen before. And then the magic, the individual moments that all matches decide. And the first two goals of Declan sum up the night. ‘
On the eve of the first leg, Arteta said he was convinced that his team could beat the 15-turn of European cup winners, proving on a real one-sided night in North London, which might be the best on the European stage, and their best victory since moving to the Emirates in 2006 after seeing Real Madrid on their way to the Champions League final.
Arsenal, 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League with just eight games left, will play Brentford on the Emirates on Saturday before next week’s Return Rubber in the Spanish capital.
Arteta continued: “If you have not played against this team for the past 20 years, and have not had a proper run in this competition, you must be prepared to write your own history, and it is in nights as you can. We have done it, but we have a lot more to give.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s side was left Dumbtruck when Merino’s third rattle with 15 minutes left. Eduardo Camavinga was then sent in the stopping time when he received a second yellow card.
“If you look at the game tonight, there is no possibility (from a return to the Bernabeu)-but no one expected Rice to score two goals of set pieces, so in football anything can happen,” says Ancelotti.
‘The possibility is low, but we have to try 100 percent and do everything we can. This is an opportunity to show a response to a poor game. “
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