Declan Rice Receives UCL Player of the Week Accolade for Brilliant Free-Kicks Against Real Madrid

Synopsis

On April 11, Declan Rice was awarded UEFA Champions League Player of the Week for his incredible two free-kicks against Real Madrid. This historic achievement marks the first time he scored direct free-kicks in his career, solidifying his status as a top performer for Arsenal.

Key Takeaways

Declan Rice scored two remarkable free-kicks against Real Madrid.
He is the first in UCL history to score two direct free-kicks in knockout stages.
Rice's performance helped Arsenal secure a vital win.
He has now scored four goals in the last three home UCL matches.
Rice's achievement has garnered significant media attention and fan praise.

London, April 11 (NationPress) Declan Rice has been honored as the UEFA Champions League Player of the Week after scoring two remarkable free-kicks against Real Madrid on Wednesday (IST).

The midfielder gave Arsenal the lead in north London by curling a dead ball past Thibaut Courtois in the 58th minute, and later added a second goal with an even more audacious strike from further away.

This achievement makes Rice the first player in Champions League history to net two direct free-kick goals in a knockout stage match and only the fifth overall to score more than one in a single game, joining an elite group that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Hakim Ziyech, Neymar, and Rivaldo. Notably, this was the first time in Rice's professional career that he scored from a direct free-kick.

He has now tallied four goals in Arsenal's last three home Champions League matches, bringing his total for the season to seven, which matches his output from the previous season.

In a fan vote, Rice triumphed over Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Paris Saint-Germain, Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, and Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan to secure the award.

The accolades continue for Arsenal, as Rice, Jurrien Timber, and William Saliba were also included in the Champions League Team of the Week for their outstanding performances against Madrid.

After the game, Rice expressed his excitement over his goals, stating he would likely spend the night watching the highlights.

“Those (his free-kicks) were exceptional. Honestly, I’m not accustomed to receiving this level of praise and attention from the media and fans! I’ve watched them back a few times, and I think I’ll be up all night revisiting it. It’s a phenomenal moment; I can hardly believe it.

“When I hit the first one and it went in, I thought, ‘That’s my first ever free-kick!’ Then I felt confident about the second one. I just thought, ‘Why not? What do I have to lose?’ I aimed for the wall and thought: ‘I’ll go for the keeper’s side, if I connect well.’ I’ve practiced that a lot,” said Rice.