Thibaut Courtois stated that there was little he could do about Declan Rice's thunderous strikes in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Arsenal and Real Madrid. Jude Bellingham and Carlo Ancelotti both emphasized that the tie is far from over.
Courtois was beaten twice in the second half by Declan Rice, as Arsenal defeated Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Emirates Stadium.
It was a night to forget for the Spanish giants, who arrived in London with high expectations but left with a mountain to climb. Rice, delivering one of the finest performances of his career, stunned the visitors with two perfectly executed free kicks, marking the first time he has ever scored from a direct set-piece in professional football.
The match began with Real Madrid showing promise, dominating possession and creating the better chances during the opening 30 minutes. Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior both tested David Raya early on, but the Gunners held firm. As the first half progressed, Arsenal grew into the game, and the breakthrough came just before the break when Gabriel Jesus found the net after a deflected shot wrong-footed Courtois. That goal shifted the momentum entirely.
The second half belonged to Declan Rice. With Madrid chasing an equalizer, the England international punished them with two sensational free kicks in the space of fifteen minutes. The first came after a foul by Alaba just outside the box. Rice stepped up and curled the ball with precision and dip around the wall, tucking it just inside the post. Courtois, clearly frustrated, later reflected on the goal. "Rice struck the ball perfectly twice," he told Movistar+. "I admit that I could have positioned the wall a bit more to the left for the first goal, but I had already added Valverde to it, and Camavinga was standing in line with the post. In the end, Rice curled the ball perfectly around the wall."
Former Real Madrid midfielder Wesley Sneijder, analyzing the match as a pundit, was critical of Courtois’ setup and movement for both free kicks. The Belgian keeper acknowledged the criticism, particularly on the first strike. “Wesley is right to an extent,” he said. “There’s always room for improvement. But sometimes you have to just credit the quality of the strike.”
Rice’s second was even more spectacular. After Bellingham committed a clumsy foul near the right edge of the box, the midfielder took the responsibility again. This time, he went high into the opposite corner, with the ball flying over the wall and into the top of the net, beyond Courtois’ reach. "The speed and the height were simply perfect. Unfortunately for us," said the Real Madrid goalkeeper. He also pointed out that his side made life difficult for themselves by conceding avoidable fouls. "They were two unnecessary challenges. That’s something we need to work on for the return leg. These are the small details that change everything at this level."
The defeat left Real Madrid stunned and searching for answers. Despite a strong start, the Spanish side were unable to respond once Arsenal gained control. The midfield battle was dominated by Rice and Ødegaard, while Madrid’s usually reliable defenders struggled to contain the pace of Saka and Martinelli. With the Bernabéu awaiting, pressure is now mounting on Ancelotti and his squad to deliver something extraordinary.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his team failed to recover mentally after the second goal. “We played very well for an hour, but paid the price for two set-pieces. We suffered a mental blow and couldn’t recover in time,” he said at the post-match press conference. “We’ve come back from behind before. It’s time to do it again. We can’t afford to dwell on this result. We have to regroup and believe.”
He was joined by Jude Bellingham, who despite giving away the foul that led to Arsenal’s third goal, spoke with conviction about Real Madrid’s ability to turn the tie around. “We were lucky Arsenal only scored three,” the England international admitted. “They had more chances and we have Courtois to thank for keeping us in it. But if there’s a team that can come back from this, it’s Real. We need a magical and perfect night at the Bernabéu.”
Preparations for the second leg are already underway in Madrid, where the fans are expected to fill the stadium and create the kind of atmosphere the club is famous for on European nights. The return fixture will be played next Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabéu. The winner of the tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, adding even more weight to the importance of a comeback.
For now, Arsenal take a commanding lead to the Spanish capital, but Real Madrid know all too well that in football and especially in the Champions League nothing is ever truly over until the final whistle.
