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Declan Rice's two stunning free-kicks paved the way for Arsenal's 3-0 curb-stomping of Real Madrid.
Arsenal has one foot into the Champions League semi-finals after a 3-0 win over Real Madrid at the Emirates that might come to be known as the "Declan Rice Game" as the England international put forth a showing that was out of this world.
No longer the player that just sits back in midfield and dictates the game, now, he's been given a license to get forward and wreak havoc...which is exactly what he did to Madrid.
Covering every blade of grass, Rice made life a living hell for the visitors. His lung-bursting runs saw him outpace Real's defenders and put them under constant pressure.
Then we get to his two free-kicks that Roberto Carlos, who was in the crowd, would have been proud of. Two absolute thunderbolts that gave Thibaut Courtois no chance of saving.
Rice now the ace in Arteta's deck
While all eyes were on Bukayo Saka and his first start since December, it was Rice who stole the show, as he battered the Real midfield in a way we haven't seen in a long time.
The £105m fee looks like a steal right now as Rice did as he pleased, and those two free kicks? Well, words don't do them justice my friends.
“I’m speechless, this has never happened to me before!” Rice said via arsenal.com. “This is the quarter-final and we know how much this night meant. It's a real historic night for the club. I'm so happy. They [his free-kicks] were really good. To be honest with you, I'm not used to all of this praise and media and just people saying how good the free-kicks were! I've seen them back a few times now but I think I'll be up watching it all night. It's an incredible moment, I can't believe it.”
Rice's two stunning free kicks transformed a match that was teetering, to squarely in Arsenal's favor and the fact that he hit Real with both just 12 minutes apart, shell-shocked the Spanish giants and gives the Gunners a great foundation ahead of the second leg.
Yes, this first leg's performance was out of this world, but if you think Real aren't capable of doing the same thing in the return bout, then you are sadly mistaken.
If Declan hadn't already endeared himself to the Gunners faithful before this (he had without a doubt), then his performance against Madrid would have done it.
He was outstanding and maybe with this effort, Rice might just be looked at on the same level as Bukayo and seen as another ace in Arteta's Arsenal deck.