Declan Rice's right boot, and Mikel Arteta's tactics, guide Arsenal to their greatest night at Emirates Stadium | OneFootball

No one could have predicted what those in red had in store against Real Madrid

Mikel Arteta had asked his Arsenal players to “create our own story” against Real Madrid - but surely he could not have imagined a script quite like this.

All the talk coming into this Champions League quarter-final was about Real Madrid’s aura in the competition and how they always find a way to win.

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Arteta had called on Gunners fans to get to the ground early to cheer on the team, but at the end of the night the challenge was getting them to leave.

Most of them could scarcely believe what they had just seen - the Champions League holders and 15-time winners taken apart.

Rice was at the heart of it all, living up to his new nickname of ‘The Horse’. The midfielder was everywhere and his two goals capped off his best performance in an Arsenal shirt.

Before tonight, Rice had never scored a free kick. Then, in the space of 12 minutes, he had two - and what a pair of strikes they were.

The first was a beauty just before the hour mark, with Rice starting the ball outside the right post before bending it in.

The second, 12 minutes later, was just as good - if not better. This time, Rice arrowed the ball perfectly into the top corner.

After they had regained their composure, fans gasped as they watched the replay. It was that kind of strike and the two free-kicks will no doubt live long in the memory.

Five minutes later, however, the Emirates was bedlam once more. Rice started a move by driving from inside his own half and finding Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian picked out Myles Lewis-Skelly and his pass was then expertly turned home, first time, by Mikel Merino.

This time the fans really did lose their minds. Supporters clambered over seats and hugged anyone in sight. On the touchline, Arteta tried to motion for calm and point to his head as everyone in the stands lost theirs.

After a difficult season, beset by injuries, this was a night to savour and the finest performance of Arteta’s managerial career.

The Spaniard has come in for some stick at times, but he got his tactics spot on here when it mattered most.

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Jakub Kiwior, given the nod over Ben White at centre-back, was solid in the absence of Gabriel. Lewis-Skelly, handed his debut by Arteta at the start of this season, shone at left-back and, had it not been for Rice’s heroics, could have been man of the match.

Saka, whose comeback has been built to this moment, terrorised Madrid’s left flank. It was Saka who won both free kicks that Rice scored.

And then there was Merino, a player signed in the summer as a midfielder, filling in once again up front. Of all the creative solutions Arteta has come up with, this could prove to be his best.

Arteta will try to keep his feet on the ground, of course he will, but the Spaniard will struggle to stop fans dreaming after this. Arsenal, in truth, could have had five as both Rice and Merino had efforts cleared off the line.

As it was, they had to settle for three. Just imagine saying that 24 hours ago.