Declan Rice explains free-kick masterclass in Arsenal's rout of Real Madrid

Go on, how many times have you watched them already? 67,908? Thought so. Declan Rice's free-kick brace against Real Madrid on Tuesday night will live long in the memory.

This was one of the great Emirates nights, perhaps the finest since we moved in 19 years ago. A cagey opening hour in which Arsenal exuded impressive control but were thwarted by the imperious Thibaut Courtois was brought to an end by Rice's tracer bullet of a right boot.

These were just the fifth and sixth direct free-kick attempts of his Arsenal career. They were moments he, nor anyone of a Gooner persuasion, will ever forget.

His outstanding dead-ball double broke the Champions League quarter-final open, and Mikel Merino's strike 15 minutes from time means Mikel Arteta's men head to the Santiago Bernabeu with a 3-0 lead to protect. They have one foot in the last four, even if Madrid cannot be written off just yet. Carlo Ancelotti's side are capable.

Declan Rice free-kick masterclass sends Emirates into bedlam on special Champions League night

It was fitting that Madrid icon Roberto Carlos was in attendance for a free-kick showcase from the England international. Rice's first, struck from just shy of 30 yards out, bent around Courtois' wall on a similar trajectory to Carlos' notorious effort against France in 1997.

"“It’s been in the locker but I’ve hit the wall too many times or it’s gone over the bar!""

Declan RIce on free-kick masterclass

There was no trivela magic from Rice, who struck the ball with his instep, and the midfielder explained post-match that the original plan wasn't to take a shot at goal.

“Originally we was gonna cross it and then I just saw the wall and the goalkeeper’s position for the first one and I thought: just go for it. Bukayo said to feel it. And I see the outside of the wall, and it went in," he said post-match (via The Athletic).

“It didn’t make sense from that angle to cross the ball. And they were on a high line, to chip that it would have to be such a delicate pass. I just thought go for it."

Thierry Henry was among those who blamed Courtois' poor setting up of his wall, which allowed Rice to strike, but if the Belgian was somewhat at fault for the midfielder's first goal, he was helpless to deny his second of the night.

“The second one I just had the confidence and I hit it,” Rice commented. It was the purest of strikes, nestling in the top corner of the side Courtois lined up in. It's one of the very best free kicks you'll ever see. No goalkeeper was getting close.

On Tuesday, Rice became just the fifth player in Champions League history to score two direct free kicks in the same game. Arteta spoke about the need to cultivate "magic moments" against a side of Madrid's heritage, and the Spaniard got two that'll be immortalised in N5 for generations.

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