In the UEFA Champions League quarter-final at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice scored two free-kick goals against Real Madrid in a 3-0 victory. Rice's first goal was curled around the wall and past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, while the second bent into the top right corner. According to statistics, the chances of Rice scoring both goals were slim, with his first having an xG of 0.037 (3.7%) and his second an xG of 0.063 (6.3%). BBC pundit Rob Green, who was at the game for CBS, considered the second goal the better one due to its placement and power, stating that it was "the definition of a perfect free-kick". Courtois was expected to save the second goal only 3% of the time, but he still could not prevent both shots. Arsenal's usual free-kick takers, Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard, may not have been able to replicate Rice's performance since they are not known for their long-range striking power. The decrease in direct free-kick goals in football over the years may be due to the use of a 'draught excluder' to prevent the ball from going underneath the wall.
Source: BBC Sports Football
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