Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: 11 shots on target the difference
Key numbers
- 11 of 12 shots on target (92%), a high for Arsenal's last five matches (average 5.2)
- xG of 1.59 to 0.5; Real Madrid's xG was the lowest of their last five (average 2)
- Rice scored in the 58th and 70th minutes, Merino in the 75th, and Camavinga was sent off in the 90+4th
Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates in the Champions League quarter-finals. The first half ended goalless, and the game opened up after the interval. Declan Rice broke the deadlock in the 58th minute and scored again in the 70th. Mikel Merino added a third in the 75th, set up by Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal led for around 32 minutes, while Real Madrid never led at any point.
The shooting numbers were lopsided. Arsenal put 11 of their 12 shots on target, a rate of 92%, and nine of those 12 came from inside the box. Their expected goals (xG) stood at 1.59 against 0.5 for Real Madrid, with an xG per shot of 0.13 against 0.06. Possession was close at 53% to 47%, and pass accuracy was 90% against 86%. Arsenal scored 1.41 more goals than their xG.
Set against Real Madrid's previous five matches, the contrast is sharper. Their xG of 0.5 was the lowest of those five (average 2), and their three corners (average 7) and 436 passes (average 629) were both well down. Conceding three was the most in that run. Arsenal's three goals and 11 shots on target were both highs for their last five (shots on target average 5.2, previous best 7). David Raya made four saves and Thibaut Courtois five.
Finishing and shot quality decided it. Rice put all four of his shots on target and scored twice, and his FN Score of 8.6 was the highest in the match. Lewis-Skelly's assist and two key passes earned him 8.5. For Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé won four of six dribbles and had three shots, two on target, without scoring. Eduardo Camavinga's eight defensive actions led his side, but he was sent off in the 90+4th minute after a second yellow card.