Declan Rice Overruled Set-Piece Instructions in Arsenal’s 3-0 Victory Over Real Madrid
Following Arsenal’s dominant 3-0 win over Real Madrid, there’s been some debate over just how much influence set-piece coach Nicolas Jover had on the night. Before Mikel Merino sealed the win, it was Declan Rice who stole the show—scoring his first-ever free-kick and quickly adding another.
As Rice and Martin Ødegaard stood over the dead ball for the opener, Jover was seen animatedly gesturing from the sidelines. Arsenal have been the Premier League’s most dangerous team from set pieces this season, thanks in large part to Jover’s meticulous planning.
However, this time, things didn’t go as planned. While it initially seemed like another well-drilled routine, Rice later revealed in a post-match interview that he actually ignored Jover’s instructions. Instead of crossing as advised, he trusted his instincts—and Bukayo Saka’s encouragement—to take the shot himself.
“We were planning on crossing the ball, but I spoke to [Bukayo Saka], and he said to me if you’re feeling it, take it. I saw the wall and the keeper, and it didn’t make sense to cross it. Nicolas Jover kept telling me to cross, but Bukayo told me to take it. I took control and told B, ‘I’m going to hit this.’”
Defying a coach renowned for his set-piece expertise takes confidence, but Rice’s decision paid off spectacularly. His moment of magic put Arsenal firmly in control of the tie, bringing them one step closer to long-awaited European silverware.
While they still need to travel to the Bernabéu for the second leg, their 3-0 advantage—a deficit Real Madrid have never overturned in a Champions League knockout tie—makes them strong favorites to advance to the semi-finals.
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