Real Madrid and Arsenal dominate the Champions League

A hard-fought Champions League match is at stake. Both teams have moments that will not be repeated. You can feel it, Real Madrid Jerseys that it is a matter of life and death. Yet then comes one of the absolute world-class talents and tears the game open. Before you know it, everything has changed. A rift separates the two sides.

This man has secured his status in the legend of Northlondon. In probably the greatest night this stadium has ever experienced, his free-kicks – plural – toppled the titans of European football. If you would expect a comeback for a team, you would place them in Real Madrid colours. But try convincing one of the enthusiastic 57,000 spectators that exactly that will happen.

After all, this triumph is as eventful as so many other Madridista triumphs of the last few years. In the last three days, the Spanish capital has been overwhelmed by the fear of Arsenal's magnificent set-piece machinery. Two of the first five questions at Thibaut Courtois in his pre-match press conference concerned how he and his teammates would cope with the impending air raid. The nerves were so high that one would have rushed forward and loudly shouted: “Gabriel isn't here, lads.”

The nerves of Madrid were thus not solved, but there was at least a safe space for the visitors. Arsenal will flood you with long-range free kicks. They will batter you at corners. But they can do you no harm if they shoot after a free kick. It took until September 2021 to see the last time they sent one into the top area, and most of Martin Ødegaard's attempts since then had hardly made an impression. Rice's ball contacts from corners had been enough to make the fans demand a midfield contribution, but he had never scored a goal before tonight.

And so the anticipation was low when Bukayo Saka committed a foul on David Alaba – the battle-worn left-back came closest to his opponent in the 74 minutes during which Arsenal's star battled through. He and Rice stood over the ball, but between the ball and Courtois, who was already in top form, lay miles. Whoever wants, can bend it like Dec, it will not help him.

A wave of euphoria rose over the west stand. No one believed what they were seeing. It had not fully sunk in when Rice rose to his feet at the corner flag. Precisely in this season, something would happen. The Video Assistant Referee would notice something. Someone's thigh would spontaneously explode.

Then eyes turned to the big screens. A gasp, then the kind of applause that theoretically does not feel appropriate for the goal that gives you a breathtaking lead over the kings of Europe. But what else should you do? It felt like Beckham vs Greece, Roberto Carlos in the Tournoi. Even years later they will shout Rice's name across the arenas of Northlondon whenever someone scores a goal.

Arsenal's two-goal lead was well earned. They had gone in front and had smelled blood. From the moment Rice's first goal hit the net, they were hunting the next one. The pressing, which in retrospect seemed more like patient stalking, increased the pressure. The outstanding Myles Lewis-Skelly pushed further forward. Only a desperate defence on the line initially prevented Mikel Merino and then Rice. Madrid, do not be intimidated, or? You could see it in them. And yes, it is only half-time, but Arsenal should proudly return to the dressing room, all the more so after Merino scored the third.

Because Arsenal knew, when they were in the lead, Cheapest Arsenal kits that they were good enough to stay there. In the first half there were some unfavourable moments that opened up opportunities for Kylian Mbappé. Madrid exploited these, and there was not much to do. They ended the second half with as many shots as Rice after free kicks. The perhaps most instructive moment for next week at the Santiago Bernabéu was when Vinícius brought the ball into position to surge forward. He saw Jurrien Timber and William Saliba in front of him and thought: No, someone else can start this attack.