UCL Reaction: Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: Rice Magic puts the Gunners in Control
Declan Rice
Arsenal beat European powerhouses Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Quarter Final as “are you Tottenham in disguise” rang round the Emirates at full time.
Two free kicks out of the book of perfection from Decan Rice set Arsenal on their way in the second half before Mikel Merino iced the game slotting home a cross from Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Real had varied chances throughout the game but Bukayo Saka had David Alaba on skates as the Gunners horded the big chances in the game.
In the end Los Blancos looked shell shocked as Arsenal controlled the game and used set pieces to their advantage. Mikel Arteta’s men defended the break well and refused to late Real build any sort of intentional attack.
To add salt to their wounds, Madrid would finish with ten as Eduardo Camavinga acquired a second yellow for kicking the ball away.
The Gunners now travel to the Bernebeu with a three-goal advantage. Carlo Ancelotti will have to see his team channel their inner 2018 Liverpool to make the final four.
Declan Rice Magic
In the first half Arsenal squandered many chances, missing the target or simply not being in the right place at the right time. A narrative Gunners fans will know too well, the lack of a real poacher.
Declan Rice, clearly sick of seeing his side squander chances took matters into his own hands. First scoring a free kick that basically whipped around planet earth before scoring a second that couldn’t be more top corner if he tried.
Before this Rice had never scored a free kick in his senior career, now he is the first player to score two in a UCL knockout game.
As much as Arsenal controlled the game it was clear they needed some magic to create a breakthrough. The lack of attacking focal point was seeing chance after chance go by. Rice’s first free kick lifted the Emirates, took off the shackles and allowed the Gunners to have more freedom.
This was so obvious in the team’s third, when Mikel Merino swept home Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cross. A move of real fluidity and freedom.
Saka vs Alaba
The story of the first half. Bukayo Saka vs David Alaba.
Mikel Arteta’s game plan was clear. Use Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to get at Real’s makeshift fullbacks. A serious pace mismatch and it showed.
Saka, starting his first game since returning from injury looked lively as ever. Alaba couldn’t handle it. It was the same on the other flank, as Federico Valverde pushed forward, Martinelli dropped in a ran him ragged.
All of Arsenal’s chances in the first half came from the wings, especially from Saka, who had multiple crosses into the six-yard box just dying to be tucked home.
The Gunners lacked a clinical edge, had it not been for Rice, they could have been kicking themselves all the way to Madrid.
Los Blancos Fail to Utilise Pace
This season Arsenal have not lost at home in the Champions League. They have been a defensive stronghold from day one but for this tie, they were weakened.
Gabriel is out for the rest of the season, leaving the Gunners with an open question of who to start. In the end Jakub Kiwior was given the nod, not a bad player of course, but he lacks Gabriel’s pace. Who has the quickest front three in world football you ask? Real Madrid.
Ancelotti’s men had the perfect opportunity to target Kiwior and get in behind Arsenal’s back line, but they failed to do so.
Vinicius Junior had moments in the first half but failed to create any final product. Whilst Kylian Mbappe was man marked by William Saliba and seemed more interested in a race with him than trying to score, blazing his only real chance over the bar.
Whilst Real looked like a rabbit in the headlights, it is a credit to Arsenal’s defensive planning, which worked in Europe once again. This time against the competition’s biggest opponents.
In the end Arsenal had Real Madrid in their pocket for almost all of the 90 minutes. Yes, they needed some sublime magic to break the tension and get the result they deserved but this one was a testament to setting up and finishing correctly.
For Ancelotti and co, there are huge amounts of work to be done. Real have failed in the face of most hardships this campaign, just in the Champions League they have found away. Now they have a mountain to climb at home alongside being second in La Liga. We all know what happens to Real managers who don’t win a trophy don’t we?
