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Arsenal have one foot in the last four of the Champions League after thrashing holders Real Madrid 3-0 on Tuesday night. Two incredible free-kicks from Declan Rice plus a goal from Mikel Merino proved the difference on a thrilling night in north London which leaves Los Blancos needing another miracle to advance in the European Cup.
The hosts nearly found themselves in front inside only five minutes when Antonio Rudiger cleared a Bukayo Saka cross straight against Eduardo Camavinga, and the loose ball sailed only narrowly past Thibaut Courtois' post. There was then a lengthy VAR check for a handball against Raul Asencio when his arm blocked a shot from Rice, but this was dismissed after several minutes of close inspection.
Down the other end, Vinicius Junior flashed a shot from 20 yards wide, while Kylian Mbappe lashed an attempt over the top when Jakub Kiwior sold William Saliba short with a pass, though the ball to him from Real Madrid's No.7 was later flagged for offside.
Another chance came and went for Madrid when Jude Bellingham picked the lock of the Arsenal defence to find Mbappe, who shaped himself like Gunners legend Thierry Henry to shoot, but was thwarted by goalkeeper David Raya.
Saka lashed a low cross through the six-yard box without being able to find someone to prod it home, before Courtois had to make a double save to keep out a Merino header and Rice's rebound as the first half ended goalless.
On the other side of the break, Mbappe fired into the side-netting after a neat move had flowed through Rudiger and Jude Bellingham beforehand.
And then the Emirates Stadium came alive. Saka was felled outside the box by David Alaba, and from the resulting free-kick, Rice curled a belter around the wall and past Courtois into the net.
A hat-trick of chances in the same five-second sequence went begging for Arsenal as they sought to double their lead, with Courtois stopping one attempt from Gabriel Martinelli and two from Merino. Rice had a shot cleared off the line by Bellingham from the following corner.
But Rice was not to be denied seconds later. Another free-kick fell to his feet from a similar distance, and he found the top corner to send the home fans into delirium once more.
Arsenal weren't done there. The excellent Myles Lewis-Skelly got an assist for his efforts with a cutback for Merino, whose bobbled effort crept in at the near post and left the home supporters out of breath.
Madrid's night ended in further dismay when Camavinga was shown a second yellow card in added time as the Gunners' three-goal cushion heading to the Santiago Bernabeu next week was confirmed.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium...
