Arsenal v Real Madrid LIVE: Reaction as brilliant Gunners demolish visitors on historic Champions League night
Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: Declan Rice curled home two sumptuous free-kicks and Mikel Merino scored a third as the Gunners delivered on the biggest night in Emirates Stadium history
Arsenal delivered a Champions League performance for the ages as they demolished Real Madrid 3-0 to put one foot in the semi-finals on the most historic night in Emirates Stadium history.
This was the Gunners’ biggest home occasion since their move from Highbury almost 20 years ago and Mikel Arteta authored one of their greatest ever displays to rout the shell-shocked 15-time European champions and give themselves a huge cushion ahead of next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu.
Declan Rice was the hero as he curled home two sumptuous free-kicks in the space of 13 minutes, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois – who was brilliant all evening long – left absolutely helpless.
Makeshift striker Mikel Merino then turned and rifled a third goal into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to deservedly push the Gunners further clear and leave their fans dreaming of a place in the last four.
Relive all the action from the Emirates Stadium in our live blog below:
Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
40 mins
CLOSE!
More great play from Arsenal, once again led by Saka. This time he gets in behind the defence but sees a good cross deflected behind all of his teammates.
Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
37 mins
CLOSE! What a ball this is from Saka!
He stands up his man in the box before skipping past him easily and fizzing a low cross right into the corridor between the ‘keeper and his defenders, but there’s no Arsenal man to latch onto the end of it.
A classic ‘if only they had a natural 9’ moment.
Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
31 mins
CLOSE! A reminder of the Madrid threat.
Bellingham wins it near halfway and skips past a challenge brilliantly before releasing Mbappe. He’s 1-v-1 though the angle is tight, and he hits his shot too close to Raya.
Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
13 mins
CLOSE! The first real chance of the game.
Arsenal sweep forward and Martinelli stands up the defender before getting the cross away, though it’s blocked at the near post.
Rice lays it back to Partey, who fizzes a shot too close Courtois.
There’s a penalty check going on here too, for a handball from Raul Asencio, though it would be harsh...
Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
6 mins
CLOSE! This would’ve been something.
The cross comes in from Saka and Camavinga leaves it to Ruddier, who boots the ball against his teammate – and it bounces just wide!
KICK-OFF! Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid
The away side get us underway in this quarter-final first leg!
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