It was a historic night for Declan Rice on Tuesday evening. He smashed in a stunning double from dead-balls against Los Blancos in the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final. He put in a dominating display to earn a convincing 3-0 win for the Gunners that day. This accomplishment turned him into a record-breaking figure in the club’s rich history.
Rice became the only Arsenal player to score from a direct free-kick beyond the group stages of the Champions League. This goal is particularly special as it was his first ever direct free-kick scored in his senior career. It broke a long drought for this type of goal—for him, and for the team as a whole. Prior to this contest, Rice had only appeared in 338 senior matches. In fact, despite taking 12 direct free-kick shots without success before Tuesday’s match, nine of those in the Premier League, he still hadn’t scored.
It was his first successful free-kick, a four-year lack for the Gunners. Martin Ødegaard was the last player to score a direct free-kick for the club, when he scored one against Burnley in September 2021. A mere 12 minutes after his first, Rice netted a second, evidence of his newfound set-piece expertise. The brilliance of his double free-kick display was on full display in his brilliant double free-kick performance. It pushed Arsenal to a stunning upset against one of Europe’s scariest teams.
In achieving this feat, Rice joined an exclusive club of elite players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Neymar, who have scored two direct free-kicks in a single Champions League knockout match. Most impressively, Kylian Mbappe hasn’t even done this yet after failing 17 times in the same situation.
That match at the Emirates Stadium was a dead-ball masterclass. Rice displayed some of the most amazing precision and technique captivating fans and analysts alike. His all-round contributions helped Arsenal’s cause immensely, building a strong case for them to go deeper into the coveted competition.
Leave a Reply