Rice became the first player to score two goals from direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout stage match.
Declan Rice just did that.
The Arsenal midfielder scored not one, but two outrageous free kicks within 12 minutes against Real Madrid in Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg.
To score one free kick like Rice did would have been a major achievement, but two? Against a goalkeeper as good as Thibaut Courtois? In this game? Against this opponent.
Absurd.
Rice’s opening goal in the 58th minute was simply sublime, as the England international curled the ball outside the post and back in past a despairing Courtois dive.
The second was possibly, somehow, even better. In the 70th minute, Rice slammed an unstoppable shot into the far reaches of the top corner, beyond where any human goalkeeper could possibly reach.
Per Opta, Rice became the first player to score two goals from direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout stage match. Even more amazingly, the goals were the first two in Rice’s career that he’s scored directly from a free kick.
To make matters even better for the Gunners, Mikel Merino scored five minutes later to make it 3-0 over the defending champions.
The Gunners will take a three-goal advantage into the second leg next week at Madrid, which will probably be terrified to foul any visiting player within shooting distance of the goal.
THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED AT PROSOCCERWIRE
Watch Rice’s two free kick goals vs. Real Madrid
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE FOR DECLAN RICE ⚡⚡ pic.twitter.com/XZHSlaCOj3
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2025
DECLAN RICE CURVES ONE IN BEAUTIFULLY 💫
ARSENAL LEAD AGAINST REAL MADRID! pic.twitter.com/60Q8bhbYxS
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2025