%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
It still feels surreal to say that Arsenal got any form of result against Real Madrid, let alone a win, by THOSE margins. On a night which needed a hero, Declan Rice stepped up to the occasion and proved his chant to be true, the Gunners did get him half-price.
Arsenal's result was subject to a great team performance. Indeed, things would have looked very different if the players didn't act as a collective. However, let's not take it away from the man of the moment; individual brilliance from Declan Rice got the Gunners on the right track.
Unless you are living under a rock and haven't watched the highlight reel one hundred times over, the English midfielder scored two brilliant free kicks, within minutes of each other. Yep, scoring one of Arsenal's best-ever Champions League goals wasn't enough for Rice, so he had to top it off with another shortly into the second half.
Kylian Mbappe was all of us after Declan Rice scored 2 screamers for Arsenal
Unsurprisingly, the Arsenal faithful were left with little to say. The case has changed slightly since the result has settled in and we've been our usual vocal selves. The quick-hitting "what just happened?" mood was felt on the pitch as well as the stands. Indeed, when the cameras panned to Kylian Mbappe, Arsenal fans could relate.
Kylian Mbappe had a mannerism which suggested "fair play". His facial expressions gave credit to Declan Rice, after the night of his life. Fans can watch the reaction below.
Even Kylian Mbappé couldn't deny Declan Rice's second free kick 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BEPWUwFi1M
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2025
This all boils down to the simple saying, "game recognises game". Kylian Mbappe has scored a plethora of exceptional goals throughout his career, including on the big stage, so he could simply take a step back and appreciate what Declan Rice had just done.
The reaction came after Declan Rice netted the second free kick of the game. While it's up for debate, I was more impressed by the second free kick. Of course, confidence played a factor, but that ball couldn't fit more perfectly into the top bins with a million different attempts.
While Arsenal fans have every reason to be happy about the result, there is still work to be done. An advantage was gained but now, the job must be sealed in the Spanish capital. Let's hope a certain Mr Mbappe wasn't too inspired by Declan Rice's display at the Emirates.