It was a night that will live long in the memory of Arsenal fans, a night that seemed almost too good to be true. In front of their adoring crowd at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal delivered a performance for the ages, defeating the mighty Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal. But amidst the frenzied celebrations and the deafening roar of the North London faithful, one man stood out above all others: Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

The England international became the hero of the night, scoring two stunning free kicks in the second half to put his side firmly in control of the tie. The first of Rice’s heroic efforts came in the 58th minute, with the 26-year-old breaking the deadlock with a shot that whipped around the Real Madrid wall and into the corner of the net. The stadium erupted as Arsenal’s players celebrated the astonishing goal, only for lightning to strike twice just 12 minutes later.

With home fans still wide-eyed with excitement, Arsenal was awarded another free kick on the other side of the box. Up stepped Rice again to produce arguably an even better strike than before. This time he opted not to go over the wall, instead firing his effort into the top corner of the goalkeeper’s side. In truth, there was nothing Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois could do with either free kick, and Rice could barely believe what he had just produced on the biggest stage.

According to Opta, Rice became the first player to score two direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout stage match. “It’s been in the locker, but I’ve hit the wall too many times or it’s gone over the bar,” Rice told Amazon Prime after the match. “Originally we were going to cross it and then I’ve just seen the wall and the goalkeeper’s position. So I thought just go for it. The second one I had the confidence. I hit it. It’s not going to hit me now because there’s another leg to go. I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m over the moon. But in a few years time, this will really hit me that what I’ve done tonight was really special.”

Madrid, which had looked nervous from the first whistle of the game, could do nothing to respond and found itself another goal down after Mikel Merino completed the rout after finishing off a flowing Arsenal move in the 75th minute. To make matters worse, Madrid then saw midfielder Eduardo Camavinga sent off in the dying moments after he picked up a second yellow for kicking the ball away out of frustration.

For Arsenal, though, it was already in wonderland. Before the match, even the most faithful Arsenal fan would have been nervous for the game against a Champions League specialist. No team has won more Champions League trophies than Real Madrid (15), and its recent dominance has been such that the Spanish club has won five of the last 10 editions of the tournament. Compare that to Arsenal, which has never won the title, coming closest when runner-up to Barcelona in 2006.

But there was a sense of hope, rather than expectation, among the home support as the players walked out on a crystal clear spring evening in North London. They were conditions perfect for a soccer match of this magnitude, and the fans created a spine-tingling atmosphere fitting for the occasion. But, for once, Real Madrid and all its superstars seemingly struggled from the offset. Arsenal settled far quicker than its visitor, which only showed flashes of its brilliance in the first half – Kylian Mbappé twice failing to convert when through on goal.

The likes of Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. were then largely kept quiet on a night where it was Madrid’s turn to crumble. For the host, though, the return of star player Bukayo Saka was very much needed, with the fans getting off their seats anytime the attacker got on the ball. The winger, who had been out with injury since December, provided several dangerous crosses for his side as Arsenal continued to pile on the pressure.

With the game on a knife’s edge, Saka was then bundled over, which set up Rice to score the first of his remarkable efforts. Amid all the excitement at full time, it was initially easy to forget that the job is only half done. Arsenal will travel to Madrid for the second leg on April 16, where it will hope to deny Madrid from what would be one of the greatest comebacks in soccer history.

“Beautiful. So happy so proud of the team,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Amazon Prime after the match. “We have the opportunity to make a lot of people proud and we certainly have done that. I’ve never seen the stadium like this. It’s another step in the right direction as a team. We have to make another one and replicate what we’ve done tonight.”

For now, though, Arsenal fans can celebrate what is one of the most memorable nights in the club’s long history. The victory over Real Madrid is not just a statement of intent but a testament to the resilience, determination, and sheer talent within the Arsenal squad. Declan Rice’s performance will go down in history, and Arsenal’s journey towards the Champions League semifinal has never looked more promising.

As the dust settles on this historic night, the sense of pride and joy among Arsenal fans is palpable. They have witnessed a performance that defied the odds and a victory that will be remembered for years to come. The road ahead is still uncertain, but for tonight, Arsenal can bask in the glory of a truly remarkable achievement.