Berlin, 9 April 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Declan Rice scored two stunning free-kicks in Arsenal's 3-0 home win over holders Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, while Inter Milan battled to a 2-1 victory at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

England midfielder Rice netted with two perfect set-pieces in the second half and Mikel Merino added a neat third as record champions Madrid risked crashing out. Eduardo Camavinga was sent off for the Spaniards for a second booking in stoppage time.

Rice told Amazon Prime: "Originally we were going to cross the first one, but I saw the wall and the goalkeeper’s position. The second one I had the confidence and I hit it. In a few years’ time it will hit me that what I’ve done tonight is really special."

In Germany, captain Lautaro Martínez struck superbly for Inter slightly against the run of play on 38 minutes after Harry Kane had hit the post for the hosts when it looked easier to score.

Thomas Müller, leaving Bayern at the end of the season, levelled on 85 but fellow substitute Davide Frattesi won it three minutes later as Bayern lost a European home match for the first time in 22 games.

"We have only played the first half, the first leg," Müller said. "We created the chances but we didn't manage to take the lead with Harry's massive opportunity. Inter are sticky like chewing gum, they have some experienced players."

Injury-hit Bayern now head to the San Siro next Wednesday with a mammoth task, while Madrid have an even bigger mountain to climb at home to the Londoners in the Bernabeu.

Arsenal, with Merino again playing as an emergency striker, had a good start but failed to initially make their early dominance pay.

Madrid, gunning for a record-extending 16th title, lined up as expected and Kylian Mbappé was denied by David Raya as the first half wore on at the Emirates.

Rice's header and Gabriel Martinelli's follow-up were then kept out by fit-again Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois.

A curling free-kick which started way outside the post from Rice then put Arsenal ahead on 58 and he repeated the trick soon afterwards.

Madrid had little to offer in return, with Jude Bellingham quiet on his homecoming, and Merino hurt his fellow Spaniards on 75.

Dogged Inter victory

In Munich, Bayern boss Vincent Kompany decided against replacing injured playmaker Jamal Musiala with Müller, who it was announced on Saturday is leaving his only club at the end of the season.

Instead, usual left back Raphaël Guerreiro surprisingly played as a number 10, with right-footed defender Josip Stanišić at left back.

Serie A champions and leaders Inter, who beat Bayern to lift their third title in 2010, had ex-Bayern keeper Yann Sommer and defender Benjamin Pavard in their line-up - and they were soon under pressure.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern, who won the last of their six European Cups in 2020, had the first good chance when Michael Olise fired just wide before Kane headed straight at Sommer.

Guerreiro and Olise forced the Swiss into saves midway through the opening period and Kane then clipped the post with a huge chance.

The Italians, also runners-up to Manchester City two seasons ago, found good positions but struggled to test young Bayern stand-in keeper Jonas Urbig before Martínez made the breakthrough.

The Argentina striker expertly finished off Marcus Thuram's lay-off to stun the Allianz Arena. Martínez has now scored in his last four Champions League outings, scoring six in the process.

He almost grabbed a second on 55 but Urbig did well. Bayern threatened only sporadically after the break against a stout Nerazzurri defence, with Stanišić and Guerrerio going close until Müller turned in Konrad Laimer's cross at the far post.

Frattesi then scored from close range as Bayern appeared to be sleeping, leaving Inter to celebrate a typically dogged victory.

Five-times champions Barcelona host 1997 winners Borussia Dortmund and newly re-crowned French champions Paris Saint-Germain welcome 1982 winners Aston Villa in Wednesday's first legs.

Photo: EPA