<p>London: Declan Rice's two fantastic freekicks and a striker's finish from Mikel Merino gave Arsenal an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.</p><p>The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger's clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at Thibault Courtois.</p><p>Real grew into the contest and threatened on the break, but Courtois was by far the busier goalkeeper and produced a stunning double save on the stroke of halftime to keep the game level.</p>.Champions League 2025 quarter finals: Late Davide Frattesi goal hands Inter Milan 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.<p>There was no stopping Rice's opener, though, a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for the midfielder's first senior goal from a direct freekick.</p><p>Arsenal could have been two-up shortly after, but for more heroics from Courtois, who produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from Merino in between David Alaba's goalline block.</p><p>Rice's second freekick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-time European champions looking stunned.</p><p>Merino then coolly fired substitute Leandro Trossard's pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.</p><p>Real will have to try and overhaul that lead without Camavinga, who was shown a second yellow card in the closing seconds for kicking the ball away.</p>
<p>London: Declan Rice's two fantastic freekicks and a striker's finish from Mikel Merino gave Arsenal an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.</p><p>The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger's clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at Thibault Courtois.</p><p>Real grew into the contest and threatened on the break, but Courtois was by far the busier goalkeeper and produced a stunning double save on the stroke of halftime to keep the game level.</p>.Champions League 2025 quarter finals: Late Davide Frattesi goal hands Inter Milan 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.<p>There was no stopping Rice's opener, though, a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for the midfielder's first senior goal from a direct freekick.</p><p>Arsenal could have been two-up shortly after, but for more heroics from Courtois, who produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from Merino in between David Alaba's goalline block.</p><p>Rice's second freekick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-time European champions looking stunned.</p><p>Merino then coolly fired substitute Leandro Trossard's pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.</p><p>Real will have to try and overhaul that lead without Camavinga, who was shown a second yellow card in the closing seconds for kicking the ball away.</p>