Arsenal hero Rice on free-kicks: It's been in the locker

DECLAN Rice admitted his brilliant free-kick double in Arsenal's stunning 3-3 win over Champions League holders Real Madrid was years in the making.

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Rice scored with two sublime free-kicks in the second half of the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

The England midfielder's long-range rockets were followed by a Mikel Merino goal as Arsenal secured the point ahead of the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

It was an incredible result, made all the more remarkable by the fact Rice had never scored a free-kick in his career until the first of his set-piece blasts past keeper Thibaut Courtois. "It's been in the locker, but I hit the wall too many times or it's gone over the bar," Rice said.

"Originally we were going to cross it and then I've just seen the wall and the goalie's position and thought I just go for it.

"The second one, I had the confidence. But it is executed, I'm happy, I'm over the moon.

"But in a few years' time, this will really stay with me, I've done tonight very really special."