Arsenal vs Real Madrid Review
Arsenal achieved a significant 3-0 victory over Real Madrid, giving them a strong advantage in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals, while also preserving their unbeaten record against Los Blancos. Early on, William Saliba successfully intercepted a cross from Vinícius Júnior after a misplayed pass from Bukayo Saka, but then was struck by a flicked header from Thomas Partey on the goal line. The Gunners continued to press forward, but Raúl Asencio thwarted Declan Rice’s attempt, and Partey’s shot was saved after deflecting twice.
Both teams had moments of possession after the 15-minute mark, with Los Blancos creating chances as Vinícius sent a shot wide and Mbappé being thwarted by David Raya after being set up by Bellingham. At the other end, Saka posed a threat with two tempting passes across the six-yard box, but none of his teammates could connect. When Rice finally got on the end of a cross, Courtois managed to deflect his header and also stopped Martinelli’s follow-up attempt.
The Gunners came out strong after halftime, but Asencio quickly intervened to prevent Rice from scoring. However, just before the hour mark, Rice found the net after Saka was fouled by Alaba, curling a brilliant free-kick around Madrid’s wall to score the first goal. The Gunners continued to press, forcing Courtois to save a shot from Martinelli, and both he and Alaba had to work hard to stop Merino, resulting in a corner that saw Bellingham clear Rice’s shot off the line. Remarkably, just 12 minutes after scoring his first free-kick, Rice struck again, this time finding the top corner and igniting wild celebrations at the Emirates.
The celebrations intensified when Myles Lewis-Skelly set up Merino, who calmly scored with just 15 minutes left, allowing Arsenal to secure a three-goal lead heading into the second leg. Real Madrid’s situation worsened when Camavinga received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away in the dying moments. Madrid went on to suffer their third consecutive defeat in regular time, although it would be unwise to completely dismiss a team that has advanced from each of their last 12 Champions League quarter-finals.
