Declan Rice: Arsenal Star Opens Up on Stunning Free-Kicks vs Real Madrid, Odegaard Advice
- Arsenal star Declan Rice has opened up about his two brilliant free-kicks in the Gunners' 3-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium
- Carlo Ancelotti's side was outclassed by Mikel Arteta's men in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night
- Following the win, Arsenal will now travel to Spain for the second leg, where Los Blancos will be aiming to overturn the deficit
Declan Rice scored two stunning free-kicks, guiding Arsenal to a remarkable 3-0 victory over reigning Champions League holders Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
After the game, the former West Ham star reflected on his sensational brace of free-kicks that helped the Gunners defeat the Spanish giants, Real, in North London.
Source: Getty Images
Rice reflects on his stunning free-kicks
In a post-match interview, Declan Rice recalled his first free-kick, explaining that Martin Ødegaard had suggested crossing the ball, but Rice felt it didn’t make sense.
He mentioned that their set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, typically advises him to cross, but on this occasion, it didn’t feel right.
Rice also noted that Bukayo Saka encouraged him to trust his instincts. After assessing the wall and goalkeeper, Rice decided he could bend the ball, which is exactly what happened.
"Martin Ødegaard was saying to cross it, but I told him it didn’t make sense and that I should chip it instead," Rice said. "We practice free-kicks all the time, and Jover always tells me to cross, but this time it didn’t feel right. Bukayo Saka then told me, 'If you feel it, go for it.' I looked at the wall and the keeper, thought I could bend it, and that’s exactly what happened."
Source: Getty Images
The story behind Rice’s stunning second goal
The former West Ham star’s second free-kick came in the 70th minute of the match, just 12 minutes after he scored the opener for the Gunners.
England international Bukayo Saka was fouled once again by Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, who was immediately shown a yellow card.
The 26-year-old said that his second goal came from a position further out than he initially realised.
He and his teammates had planned to touch and set the ball, but Kylian Mbappé was standing too close, which made him change his mind.
Spotting Mbappé in the middle, Rice decided to take the shot himself.
Rice also mentioned that he practices such free-kicks often and, after scoring the first, felt confident enough to try again with nothing to lose.
He added that it still hadn’t fully hit him that he had scored twice.
"It was further out than it seemed at first. The original plan was to touch and set the ball, but Kylian Mbappé was standing too close, which disrupted the setup. Since he was positioned centrally, I decided to take the shot directly. I’ve practiced those situations regularly, and after scoring the first, I felt confident and had nothing to lose. Scoring twice still doesn’t feel real—it hasn’t quite sunk in yet," as per Daily Mail
Real send tough message to Arsenal after Rice's humbling in London
TUKO.co.ke had earlier reported on the tough warning Real sent to Arsenal after Rice’s brilliant performance humiliated them at the Emirates Stadium.
After the game, Real Madrid TV, the club’s official channel, issued a stern warning to Arsenal, setting the tone for a highly anticipated second-leg clash.
They reminded Arsenal fans that 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu is a very long time, suggesting that the tie is far from over.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
