Arsenal thrashed Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, with Declan Rice scoring twice and Mikel Merino adding a third. Real Madrid struggled, culminating in Eduardo Camavinga’s red card. Despite a solid first-half display, Madrid faces a tough task in the return leg at Santiago Bernabeu.
Arsenal secured an impressive 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. The match saw Declan Rice put on a masterclass, scoring two stunning free-kicks in the 58th and 70th minutes. Mikel Merino sealed the win with a third goal in the 75th minute, further strengthening Arsenal’s position in the tie.
The match was marked by Real Madrid’s inability to break down Arsenal’s solid defense, despite a few attacking moments. Madrid had early chances, but Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, and their defensive line held firm. Madrid's struggles were compounded by a red card shown to Eduardo Camavinga in the dying seconds of the match, leaving them with a numerical disadvantage.
Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, took responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging that his team’s response after conceding was poor. He admitted that their chances of turning the tie around in the second leg were “quite low,” but vowed that they would give their best effort. Arsenal’s dominant performance, especially Rice's free-kick mastery, left them in dreamland heading to Madrid next week with a comfortable three-goal lead.
With momentum firmly in their favor, Arsenal will look to finish the job in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week, where Real Madrid will need a near-miraculous comeback to stay in the competition.
