Trent Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid move spark debate: is it a good career choice ?

By Damerex -
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Twenty-one years after Michael Owen departed Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2004, Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to follow suit. Owen should have added "f*** 'em" since that would have been sage advise to a young man who had to make the most important decision of his life. "It will tarnish him in some eyes even though it shouldn't," Owen remarked. Alexander-Arnold should have seriously considered the opinions of a minority before making his choice. After more than 300 games of devoted genius, he owes Liverpool supporters nothing except a hefty salary. In more than two decades, he has never been anything but loyal to Liverpool, never shirked, and never complained. Only fools would not believe that to be sufficient, and they ought to be disregarded. Since Owen left Liverpool in 2004, the world has become both smaller and larger at the same time. Only the most cynical redheads would now pretend that Real Madrid could never have any appeal, that no team could e...
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Cesc Fabregas was left ‘stunned’ as Declan Rice netted ‘two of the best free-kicks ever’ for Arsenal

By Damerex -

Cesc Fabregas expressed that he was “speechless” about Declan Rice, who netted what Jon Champion called “two of the best free-kicks you are ever likely to witness” for Arsenal versus Real Madrid. 

The Gunners entered their Champions League quarter-final matchup against Real Madrid as the underdogs. Their rivals are a powerhouse of European football, while Arsenal has not been among the top tier in the prestigious competition for many years. 

However, the north London team dominated Real, scoring three goals in the second half to secure a 3-0 victory in the first leg. 

Midfielder Rice netted two of those goals within 13 minutes, both from direct free-kicks. Before this match, he had played over 300 professional games without scoring a direct free-kick goal, but he smashed two incredible ones past Thibaut Courtois. 

In commentary, Jon Champion described the goals as: “Two of the best free-kicks you will ever witness.” 


Ex-Arsenal player Fabregas was amazed by Rice’s goals: “Honestly speechless, especially when you haven't netted a single free-kick in your career and manage to score two in just 13 minutes." It requires character to step up for the second try, to assert, "I'm back again." 

Wayne Rooney believed there was no question Rice would score again after bending his first goal around the wall: “Technically he's brilliant." As soon as the whistle blew for the second, he was the only one to take that first free-kick. 

Rice reflected Fabregas' feeling of being at a loss for words in his post-match interview, emphasizing that he was always prepared to take the opportunity when it arose in a threatening position. 


“I gained confidence right after the first one.” "I don’t believe I’ve fully processed what I did tonight," Rice stated. 

Arsenal has one more match before reaching the semi-finals, and Rice indicated that the Gunners aim to advance before considering the next phase, but their objective is to secure victory in the whole tournament. 


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