Declan Rice Dazzles Real Madrid with Stunning Free-Kicks: Genius or Chaos?
Declan Rice put on an incredible show at the Emirates on Tuesday night, scoring two amazing free-kicks to help Arsenal defeat Real Madrid 3-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
In a game where he had never scored a direct free-kick before, Rice made history by doing it twice in just 12 minutes.
His first goal was a beautiful curl around the wall that left goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois frozen. The second goal was a powerful strike that rocketed into the top corner, giving Courtois no chance to save it.
How Unlikely Were These Goals?
These goals weren’t just stunning; they were highly unlikely. According to Opta, the chance of scoring the first goal was only 3.7%, and the second was 6.3%. Together, that means there was less than a 1 in 400 chance of scoring both.
Former England keeper Rob Green stated, “Those shots were impossible to save. That second one had perfect technique and power.”
Which Goal Was Better?
Green quickly picked the second goal as the best. “It went in on Courtois’ side, but he still couldn’t stop it. It was hit so cleanly.”
Data showed that the second shot had a 97% chance of hitting the target but only a 3% chance of being saved. With Courtois’ height and positioning, he was still helpless.
Was Madrid’s Wall to Blame?
For the first goal, Madrid set up a four-man wall, but Rice easily got around it. Green said, “You’d need players outside the post to stop that, and no one does that.”
For his second goal, Arsenal blocked Courtois’ view by putting players in front of the wall. However, Green didn’t think that mattered: “Even with a clear view, he wouldn’t have stopped it. It was perfect.”
Is Rice Now Arsenal’s Free-Kick Specialist?
Usually, Arsenal’s free-kicks are taken by Bukayo Saka or Martin Odegaard. Saka hasn’t scored one since October 2024, and Odegaard hasn't scored since 2021.
“If those kicks were closer, they might not have been Rice’s,” Green explained. “But from that far out? No one at Arsenal strikes the ball like him.”
The Decline of Free-Kick Goals
Goals from direct free-kicks, once common for stars like David Beckham and Lionel Messi, are becoming less frequent:
- In 2003–04, the Premier League had 621 direct free-kick attempts.
- By 2022–23, that number had dropped to just 283.
- There were 41 direct free-kick goals in 2007–08, but only 11 last season.
Green suggests that defensive changes, like placing a player behind the wall, make it easier for goalkeepers. “But when someone hits it like Rice? There’s no defense for that.”
Quick Stats
- 🏆 Rice is only the fourth Arsenal player to score a direct free-kick in the Champions League.
- 🎯 He’s in elite company with players like Rivaldo and Ronaldo as one of only five to score two in a UCL match.
- 📈 These were his first direct free-kick goals in 339 career appearances.
It took Declan Rice over 300 games to score his first free-kick, but he made it count. On Tuesday night, he didn’t just score; he proved he could be a valuable free-kick weapon for Arsenal moving forward.
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