‘Not even Superman would save it’: Two stunning free-kicks dissected

A roar as loud as any in the Arsenal’s history erupted as Declan Rice produced the “magic” moments for the Gunners as he scored two sensational free-kicks against Real Madrid on perhaps the greatest night in the history of the Emirates Stadium.

The England midfielder’s brace, followed by Mikel Merino’s sweeping finish, put Arsenal in an extraordinarily commanding position ahead of next week’s Champion League’s second leg in Madrid. Rice’s second strike was so accurate that Clarence Seedorf, the former Madrid midfielder, said “not even Superman” could have saved it.

Here is how they happened:

Saka’s run

After 56 minutes, Bukayo Saka, who had been by some way Arsenal’s most effective player, receives the ball far out on the right flank in an apparently innocuous position. He cuts inside across the face of the 18-yard box and holds on to the ball until, finally, David Alaba blinks and fouls him.

“Really intelligent play that is,” says Alan Shearer on punditry duties. The last free-kick scored by Arsenal was in September 2021 by Martin Odegaard against Burnley.

Four players in Real’s wall

The ball is around 25.9 metres out and Odegaard discusses his options with Rice while looking at the wall, which appears potentially short-staffed, with just four defenders being lined up.

Rice, who had not scored a direct free-kick in the first 338 games of his career for West Ham and Arsenal, clearly decides at this point that he will take responsibility.

Rice ignores coach’s advice to cross

On the touchline, Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover is telling Rice to cross the ball but, after a discussion with Saka, he decides to go for it.

Unconventionally, given the ball is on the right-hand side of goal, Rice bends the ball around the near side of the wall. It is a magnificent curling effort and bends way out round the wall before whipping towards Thibaut Courtois’s goal.

Courtois can do nothing about the whip

Courtois is stood centrally in the goal – and with the way the wall was set up it is almost as though Courtois is challenging him to beat him – but he dives too late to even get close.

It is a remarkable free-kick, the ball bending so much it appears to defy physics. Amazingly, it is the first time that Rice has scored directly from a free-kick in his career.

Saka draws foul again

In the 76th minute, after an intense period of Arsenal pressure, once again Saka draws a foul outside the box, this time more centrally, after Eduardo Camavinga dives in.

Real fail to learn their lesson

Rice needs little more encouragement than the sight of Real Madrid once again assembling a wall of just four players. Fool me once.

Arsenal players cause confusion

This time three Arsenal players disrupt the wall, causing confusion, causing Courtois to feint the wrong way before Rice shapes up again to take the free-kick following another discussion with Odegaard.

One of the best free-kicks in European history

Once again, the effort is immaculate from Rice, who sends an arcing right-footed effort into the top-right corner. It is another masterpiece of a free-kick. There was little Courtois could possibly have done but he does move to his right and that is enough to mean he cannot get across in time. If the first one was sublime, this effort was arguably among the greatest free-kick goals in European history.

How they reacted

After the game, Rice, when reminded he had never scored direct from a free-kick: “My phone has gone crazy. I’ve not had a message from David Beckham – I am not lucky enough to have his number!

“The first goal was a highlight. I saw the space round the outside. We were having a little discussion, and Martin [Odegaard] said reverse cross it to the back post. But I said ‘It doesn’t make sense to cross’. And Bukayo said: ‘If you feel it, just hit it.’

“We are aware of [set-piece coach] Nicolas Jover. He was telling me to cross. Then it goes in and he’s claiming the credit!

“I fancied them both. Everyone is saying the second one is better. I didn’t realise how far out it was. Martin was going to touch it to me but [Kylian] Mbappé was too close. I practise it a lot and just went with it. Nothing to lose. Put my foot through it. I am not going to boast but to score twice against Real Madrid...

Arsenal’s Declan Rice scores his side’s opening goal.Credit: AP

“We practise them all the time. It’s a magic moment. People are telling me to shoot more. I need to get in the mindset of wanting to score more goals. I do have the ability and need to keep reminding myself.

“I am so happy. It’s a historic night for the club to beat the mighty Real Madrid. We are 3-0 up but the individual quality they have is scary. We are not going there to sit back. We will attack. We want to be in the semi-final. We want to win the competition.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois: “It’s a pity Rice shot two times amazingly. On the first one I can maybe assume a bit of culpability because I always put one player to the left when there’s a free-kick with the right foot, but still he managed to turn it around, so that’s good for me and maybe for next time I’ll put one more there. The second one was amazing.”

Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf : “Rice read it well, he saw the space, Courtois put the wall badly, only four players, too much space, but you still need to hit it well. Credit to him to read it and take advantage. The confidence he had from the free-kick a moment before, where he put that ball, not even Superman would get it.”

London Telegraph

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