Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: Declan Rice brace fires Gunners into first leg lead

The Gunners were in dreamland on the night, and now take a sizeable lead back to the Spanish capital next Wednesday as they bid to make it the semi-finals.

Mikel Arteta brought both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka back into the starting line up for the game, and both proved handfuls for Madrid's defenders throughout the contest.

At the other end, Gabriel's season ending injury meant Jakub Kiwior was brought into the heart of the Gunners' defence alongside William Saliba, and he didn't put a foot wrong in another excellent defensive display from Arteta's men.

The first half provided a few flashes of quality, with Saka putting in a few inviting balls across the box that no one in red was in position to get on the end of, but his threat was always there.

As was Arsenal's threat from set-pieces, with Thomas Partey forcing Thibaut Courtois into an early save from a corner. Declan Rice also had a headed effort saved as the hosts came out of the blocks fast and had the better of the first half.

Real offered little in the first period, reduced to just six shots equating to 0.37 xG, and it was more of the same in the second.

The reigning champions were limited to even less in the second 45, mustering just three attempts (0.12 xG) as their star-studded attacking line-up was comfortably held at bay.

As for the hosts, they were slower out of the traps but Saka got them going again with some mazy runs, and he was felled in the 58th minute to win a free-kick in a dangerous position, which Rice dispatched.

He bent it around the wall and beat Courtois to score his first ever goal from a direct free-kick, but he wasn't done there.

Just 12 minutes later he scored arguably a better one. He curled one at the keeper's side with such pace and precision that Courtois couldn't get near it.

Madrid were shell-shocked and the Emirates was bouncing.

Stand-in striker Mikel Merino then got in on the act too with a sensational first-time finish from a cut-back to the edge of the box from Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal cruised from there on in, with Madrid really struggling to get anything going after that, and Carlo Ancelotti looking despondent on the touch-line.

The nature of the defeat also saw Eduardo Camavinga lose his head, and he was given his marching orders for kicking the ball away, a second yellow card that means he will be suspended for the second leg.

The tie, of course, isn't over, with their being recent history of sides overturning 3-0 deficits. Liverpool did so against Barcelona in 2020 when winning 4-0 at Anfield, while Roma did it against the same opponent in 2018. Before that, Barcelona overcame a 4-0 defeat in Paris against PSG to qualify, winning 6-1 in Spain, so crazy things can happen.

Real are the team who always find a way in this competition, too, being the record winners of the Champions League.

They have to dust themselves off for a trip to Alaves on Sunday as they bid to stay in the La Liga title race, while Arsenal host Brentford on Saturday.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Inter caused a first leg upset by beating Bayern Munich 2-1.

Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring in the first half and Inter were keeping Bayern quiet until substitute Thomas Muller equalised in the 85th minute.

Only three minutes later though, Inter sub Davide Frattesi converted from close range on a quick counter to give the Italians the win on the night and an aggregate lead to take back to Milan.

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