Arteta: “Rice Finally Did It After Three and a Half Years of Waiting!”

On a night that Arsenal fans won’t forget anytime soon, Mikel Arteta’s squad delivered a stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. But for Arteta, the real story was something deeper than just the final score.

Ending the Free-Kick Drought

Declan Rice, who’s often praised for his defensive discipline, surprised everyone with two incredible goals from direct free kicks within just ten minutes. It wasn’t just luck. Arteta revealed that this moment had been years in the making.

He said during the post-match press conference, “We’ve never scored from a direct free kick since I took over. What were the chances? It took three and a half years of practice and belief, and tonight, Rice delivered.”

Individual Quality That Made the Difference

After Rice’s double, Mikel Merino added a third goal, confirming Arsenal’s dominance. Arteta praised the team’s performance but highlighted that individual brilliance was a key factor.

“The players gave us magical moments tonight. What Rice did was unbelievable. We knew we could create problems for Real Madrid, but turning that belief into reality on the pitch was the real challenge.”

Still Halfway Through the Journey

Despite the clear advantage, Arteta remained grounded in his comments. He reminded everyone that this is only the first step.

“We’ve taken a step forward, but we’re only halfway through. We have to enjoy this win, but we also need to prepare for a very different match in Madrid next week.”

Arsenal is now closer than ever to returning to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since the 2008-09 season, when they were eliminated by Manchester United.

The return leg will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, and Arteta made it clear that his team will approach it with the same mentality and identity they showed in London.