LONDON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta`s mantra ahead of his side`s Champions League quarter-final against 15-time winners Real Madrid was to `make it happen` and on Tuesday his players, roared on by a raucous north London crowd, did just that.

Arteta`s side have become the nearly men in recent seasons, twice pushing Manchester City all the way in Premier League title races only to fall agonisingly short and narrowly bowing out in the last eight of the Champions League last season.

This season they would need an unlikely Liverpool collapse to win the English title, but after a 3-0 hammering of Real Madrid in the first leg, European glory is beckoning.

There is still an awfully long way to go if Arsenal are to win the Champions League for the first time, not least protecting their advantage in the Santiago Bernabeu cauldron next week and reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2009, but the events of Tuesday felt like a coming of age moment for Arteta`s team.

Declan Rice, whose sizeable midfield skillset did not necessarily include scoring wonder goals, struck two sublime freekicks past Thibaut Courtois in the space of 12 second-half minutes to give Arsenal a stranglehold on the game.

Mikel Merino added a third goal, leaving the holders on the verge of Champions League elimination. Rice`s opener, a curling masterpiece in the 58th minute, was his first career goal from a direct free-kick and Arsenal`s first such goal in any competition since September 2021.

Rice, who conceded afterwards his original intention had been to cross the ball into the area, then topped that with another effort that left captain Martin Odegaard holding his head in his hands in disbelief.

According to data analysts Opta, the chance of Rice scoring from both freekicks was 0.23% so no wonder Arsenal fans are beginning to believe fate could be beckoning.

There are other factors, too. While failing to keep pace with Liverpool has been a disappointment, Arsenal can now fully focus on the road to Munich for the Champions League final.

The return of winger Bukayo Saka from injury for the business end of the Champions League could not have beenbetter timed. Saka, looking refreshed after his lay-off, tormented Real on Tuesday and Arsenal fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that his withdrawal with a knock was precautionary.

Odegaard conducted Arsenal`s attack in exemplary fashion, teenager Myles LewisSkelly looked made for the big stage and Merino, a makeshift striker in the absence of injured Kai Havertz, produced a finish of stunning quality.

`Collectively when you play the way we played and have the performance that we had, you need individuals at the highest level and I think they all took the game to a different level,` Arteta said. `The individual performances were of the standard that is required to beat this incredible team.

Despite Arsenal`s big lead against Carlo Ancelotti`s team, Arteta has been around long enough to know that Realwillnot hand over their crown without a fight.

`You have to continue to make steps, and tonight we have won in the right direction,` he said after. `We have to go to the Bernabeu and we`re going to have to elevate the level again to be the team that we want to be there.

For Real to produce an incredible escape act in the second leg, they will haveto set a new mark in their glittering European history.

The Spanish giants have never overturned a three-goal first leg Champion League deficit, but Ancelotti is convinced there is still a chance.

`There is always a first time. The only thing you can do together is to try. The comeback starts tonight,` said Ancelotti.

`The possibilities are quite low but we have to try at 100 percent and do all we can. It is an opportunity to show our game.

However despite Ancelotti`s words, this time Real must find doubts creeping in.

This is not the Real side that lost just two games in the whole of last season the humbling at the Emirates is their lith defeat of the campaign.

Vinicius Junior is struggling for form, Kylian Mbappe can`t do it all by himself, even though he kept trying, and Eduardo Camavinga is banned for the return.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a handful of excellent saves in London before Rice`s two free-kicks left him no chance and put the record winners against the ropes.

Real`s long list of comebacks in Europe is an exponentially self-fulfilling prophecy. Fans at the Bernabeu help whipgames into a frenzy, believing their team will triumph no matter the situation, and Real`s opponents start to crack.

`Even though we`re 3-0 up, the individual quality that they have and what they can produce is scary,` said Rice. `And also it`s the Bernabeu and in the Champions League, special things happen there for them. We`re ready to go there and give it everything.

INTER WIN AT BAYERN Inter Milan won 2-1 at Bayern Munich in Tuesday`s other game, snatching an 88th-minute winner through Davide Frattesi three minutes after the Bavarians had levelled the game through substitute Thomas Mueller.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said his side`s last-gasp victory was the result of the Italian team`s strong mentality but more work awaits.

`We had great depth in our game and that makes us happy,` said Inzaghi. `We know Bayern`s numbers, we did something important but it will not matter unless we do it in the second leg at San Siro in front of our fans too.

`We know it is only halftime in the tie, the second will be at San Siro. Bayern are a very strong side, but Inter went toe-totoe with them in determination, courage and aggression.

It was Bayern`s first home defeat in this competition since April 2021 but coach Vincent Kompany said his side `fully believe` in their chances.

Bayern were dominant early but fell behind when Lautaro Martinez scored for Inter in the 38th minute.

Bayern veteran Mueller, subbed on by Kompany with 74 minutes gone, equalised in the 85th but Inter scored again on the counter through Frattesi, who had also come off the bench in the 74th.

`In the first half we were very dominant. We had clear chances and should have scored more goals,` Kompany told reporters. `Inter`s ahead, but we need to win in Milan. Results aren`t always fair, but it`s half-time.

`We were confident and it`s a shame Inter scored this late goal, but we`ll have the chance again in Milan, that`s how we feel. We`re fully believing in our chances in Milan.`-Agencies