Declan Rice scored two sensational free-kicks to send Arsenal on their way to a remarkable 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

Rice delivered his first stunning set-piece with 58 minutes gone before striking again 12 minutes later. Mikel Merino grabbed a third to send the Emirates into dreamland ahead of next week’s return fixture at the Bernabeu.

The 15-time European Cup winners, who ended the game with 10 men after Eduardo Camavinga was dismissed for a second yellow in stoppage time, had no answer for a rampant Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s men pulled off a statement win which sees them put one foot in the semi-finals as they bid to win the Champions League for the first time.

Speaking prior to Tuesday’s match, Arteta said he was convinced his side could beat Real Madrid and write their own history, and so it proved on a truly one-sided night in north London that will possibly go down as the club’s finest on the European stage.

Bukayo Saka made his first start in 108 days following hamstring surgery and he was central to Arsenal’s success, winning both free-kicks that Rice so brilliantly converted.

Such is their pedigree in Europe, Real Madrid would have started the fixture as favourites, and Kylian Mbappe signalled the start of an electric opening period when he fired down the throat of goalkeeper David Raya with just 37 seconds gone.

Arsenal responded through Saka when his cross was thumped away by Antonio Rudiger only for the defender’s clearance to cannon off team-mate Eduardo Camavinga and drop just inches wide of Thibaut Courtois’ far post.

Thomas Partey then called Courtois into action after 13 minutes when his low drive – following fine work in the build-up by Gabriel Martinelli – was saved by the Belgian’s toe.

On the half-hour mark, a good chance arrived for Mbappe. Jude Bellingham’s finesse on the touchline and exquisite pass put Mbappe through but Raya was equal to his curled effort.

Saka fizzed two dangerous balls underneath the Real crossbar but failed to find a team-mate. Then, as half-time approached, Rice’s header from Jurrien Timber’s cross was clawed away by Courtois before the former Chelsea man was equal to Martinelli’s follow-up.

In all, Arsenal had four shots on target in the first half – their most without scoring in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League knockout game on record – and somehow it was goalless at the interval.

But Arsenal would get their rewards in a second half that will live long in the memory of the 60,000 fans inside the Emirates.

Saka, who the visitors failed to live with all night, was fouled and up stepped Rice to deliver his finest moment in an Arsenal shirt so far.

Both Saka and Rice stood over the set-piece but it was the latter who took the lead and his inch-perfect strike sailed round the outside of the five-man Madrid wall and past a helpless Courtois.

A rampant Arsenal came so close to extending their advantage 10 minutes later.

Myles Lewis-Skelly played in Martinelli who saw his strike saved by Courtois, with makeshift forward Merino’s effort cleared off the line by David Alba before Courtois was up to punch Merino’s rebound over the crossbar.

Rice’s strike from the following corner was then cleared off the line by Bellingham, but Rice would have his second just moments later.

Saka was running rings around the visitors and when he was hauled down on the edge of the area, Rice fancied his chances.

Incredibly, he delivered with a free-kick that was possibly even better than the first. Courtois, at full stretch, could do nothing to prevent the ball from sailing into his top corner. It was perfection personified.

A disbelieving Martin Odegaard put his hands on his head as Rice stood on the advertising hoardings to lap up the adulation. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were dumbstruck and less than five minutes later, Arsenal extended their lead to three.

Lewis-Skelly, displaying maturity way beyond his tender teenage years, pulled the ball back for Merino and the Spaniard’s pinpoint finish sent the Emirates into delirium, and possibly Arsenal into the last four.