Declan Rice free-kicks vs Real Madrid: Arsenal midfielder's Champions League set-piece masterclass
Declan Rice's two free-kicks in 12 minutes put Arsenal on their way to securing a resounding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League; his first of the night was the first time he had scored from a direct free-kick in his senior career
Wednesday 9 April 2025 16:10, UK
Declan Rice's free-kick double against Real Madrid in the first leg of Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final made history in more ways than one.
Mikel Arteta said the first of Rice's curling efforts ended a four-year wait for a direct free-kick, with the last scored by Martin Odegaard against Burnley in September 2021.
However, despite it not quite matching the beauty of Rice's, Arsenal technically scored from a direct free-kick earlier this season when Bukayo Saka's beat Gianluigi Donnarumma in the group phase as the Gunners overcame Paris Saint-Germain 2-0, but there is little doubt that was an intended cross.
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So perhaps Arsenal and Mikel Arteta did not have to wait four years but Rice had to wait double that, having made 338 senior appearances without scoring from a free-kick. But just like London buses, you wait eight years, and two come along at once with 12 minutes separating Rice's stunners.
While very few had predicted Rice would score after stepping up for the first, let alone the second, it has not been without the want of trying.
Rice had 12 attempts from free-kicks without scoring before Tuesday night, with nine of those coming in the Premier League. Domestically, Andreas Pereira leads the way in the top flight for the number of direct free-kicks taken without scoring (28).
To bring things back into perspective, scoring free-kicks is not easy - just ask Kylian Mbappe, who was forced to watch Rice's dead-ball masterclass at the Emirates. Mbappe has yet to score from an identical scenario despite 17 attempts to do so.
The France international, however, did score as a result of a free-kick when he played a one-two with Fran Garcia before curling beyond the wall against Leganes in LaLiga last month.
When it comes to two direct free-kicks scored in a single game, Rice is in esteemed company with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Neymar among those who have done the same in Europe's elite competition.
However, Rice stands alone as the only player to achieve the feat in the knockout stages. Rice also became the only Arsenal player in history to score from a direct free-kick beyond the group stages.
