Declan Rice reflects on his unforgettable experiences during the impressive UEFA Champions League victory against Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium, moments that he will cherish for a lifetime as an Arsenal player.

Declan Rice has admitted that he is still coming to terms with the significance of his stunning free-kick double against Real Madrid on Tuesday night. The Arsenal midfielder played a pivotal role in his side’s emphatic 3-0 victory at the Emirates, a result that has propelled the Gunners closer to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Rice’s two remarkable free-kicks were complemented by a sensational third goal from Mikel Merino, while Eduardo Camavinga’s late dismissal left the visitors reeling. Reflecting on the post-match atmosphere in the dressing room, Rice described it as “chaos,” acknowledging that it would take time for the enormity of the night to sink in.

“Obviously, I haven’t got my head around it,” Rice told TNT Sports. “It’s been chaos probably since I’ve come in. My phone.. just seeing people outside here, I’ve not really had time to sit and digest it all.” He added, “But what I’ve done and how I scored the goals, I’ve got all night to do that. So when I get in, I’m sure I’ll sit down and have a watch.”

Incredibly, the 26-year-old had never scored a free-kick in his career prior to this match. He revealed that he had not even intended to aim for the left side of the goal until the last moment. “As soon as I hit the first one and it went in, I thought, ‘That’s my first-ever free-kick.’ And then I just had the confidence over the second one. I just thought, ‘Why not? What have I got to lose?'”

Rice continued, “I was going to go over the wall but then I thought I’ve got the keeper’s side on a good one and I’ve been practising that a lot. Two went in and they’re magic moments that are going to sit with me forever, a really special night.”

With the unwavering support of the Arsenal fans throughout the match, Rice described the evening as one to cherish. “I was just smiling before the game,” he said. “I think it’s just one of those nights you look back on when your career’s done that you’ve been a part of. A big thank you to the fans, because they really created the atmosphere and they were with us from minute one.”

Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham, speaking after the match, remained defiant despite the defeat. The England star pointed to “history” as a source of hope for Real Madrid as they prepare for the return leg at the Bernabeu next Wednesday. However, he acknowledged that similar collapses have plagued the team throughout the season.

“I don’t know if shocked is the right word,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “We’re disappointed, really, more so in ourselves. There’s nothing external we can draw on, we’ve got to look at ourselves.” He added, “It’s a similar thing that’s happened all season when we’ve dropped points, and it’s happened again tonight on a larger scale. We’re going to have to address it.”

Bellingham insisted that Real Madrid would not “give up and roll over” in the second leg, stating, “We’re going to need something special to turn it around, but special things can happen in football. If there’s one place where it can, it’s at ours.”

He praised Arsenal’s performance, noting, “They were brilliant. Besides the free-kicks, which are very rare to score, they had a load more chances that they could have punished us with. We have to be honest, be humble, take our medicine.” Bellingham concluded, “Anything can happen in the return. Anything is possible. History has proven it. We’ve scored a lot of goals in games before. It’s not within the mentality of this club to give up and roll over. We’ll need the fans and give them something to grasp onto, because something like that, they can’t get behind. At home, we’re going to have to show a much better reaction if we want something special to happen.”