Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice spoke to the press after the 3-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Emirates Stadium.

He started by saying: "This is what the coach has been saying all the time, since the weekend. We needed to be fully confident in our ability to win this match. As a team, we believed strongly in that. We needed to score a goal in the second half."

About his first free kick: "This shot has always been in my repertoire, but in the past, I often hit the wall or the ball would go over the bar. Initially, we were going to send in a cross, but I looked at the wall and the goalkeeper's position, and I thought: just shoot it. And Bukayo [Saka] told me: if you feel it, do it."

Regarding the second free kick: "I was confident. I took the shot... I won't let it affect me now, because there is still another half in Madrid. I'm excited and happy and flying with joy! But in a few years, I'll realize that what I did tonight was truly exceptional."

About Bukayo Saka: "His return in such a short time is unbelievable. He's a great person. We need to be ready for next week. The Bernabeu... its atmosphere and how to play there, we need to be prepared."

He continued: "I don’t know if this feeling will ever sink in. I went back to my phone and found it exploded with messages. Scoring my first goal from a free kick in a match is very special. Then when I scored the second goal, I was filled with confidence. I can't find the words, I really feel amazed."

He added: "To beat Real Madrid in this competition... it’s a big night for us, the coach just said it, even though we are leading by three goals, the individual quality that Real Madrid has is frightening. At the Bernabeu, extraordinary things happen for them. We want to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League."

He concluded: "Did you receive a message from David Beckham? I'm not lucky enough to have his number. I'm just very happy."