The European champions were put to the sword by Mikel Arteta 's men in the first leg of the quarter-final on Tuesday night, as goals from Rice and Merino condemned them a fifth loss in Europe this term.

Kylian Mbappe believes Real Madrid can mastermind what would be a remarkable comeback and overturn their 3-0 Champions League deficit to Arsenal.

Just one more win in any of the three European competitions would have wrapped up the fifth spot for England.

Davide Frattesi grabbed a late winner as Inter Milan snatched a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Bayern Munich.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side were "prepared to write their own history" after thrashing 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid in the first leg of this season's quarter-finals.

The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday's newspapers...

Poland's Michal Szubarczyk, aiming to become the youngest World Championship qualifier in history, loses in the first round of qualifying in Sheffield.

Academy footballers in England are more likely to have major problems with tooth decay and poor oral hygiene, a new study says.

After 338 career games Declan Rice had never scored a free-kick, but fast forward 90 minutes and he has scored two - against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

For the first time ever, the top five will all qualify for next season’s top-tier competition

The Gunners boss pointed to the fan-made atmosphere as key to win

The hosts enjoyed most of the ball but were twice hit against the run of play

Spurs were still catching strays on a stunning night at the Emirates

Arsenal will have to beat two more European heavyweights if they finish the job against Real Madrid

Mikel Merino then capped a stunning 3-0 win for Arsenal over Real Madrid.

Aston Villa loanee faces unusual but not unprecedented challenge in the Champions League quarter-final first legPresumably some time between making another play for Marco Asensio and the Paris Saint-Germain forward pitching up on loan in February, Unai Emery, or at least Aston Villa’s administrative staff, sifted through the small print of Uefa’s …

Arsenal midfielder had never scored a free-kick before nailing two in 12 minutes to sink European championsSo that’s how you beat Real Madrid then. Here it is, the silver bullet. Improbably brilliant, aesthetically lovely, statistically semi‑impossible right-footed free‑kicks. What’s the problem here exactly?Before this fun, wild, unbound night …

Sheffield United third after home defeat by MillwallSunderland seal playoff place with draw at NorwichBurnley were knocked off the top of the Championship on goal difference after yet another goalless draw – their 12th of the season – against Derby.On a night of more twists and turns, the third side in the automatic promotion chase, Sheffield United, …

Tests ahead of Sunday’s race revealed E coli levels three times above the threshold for poor bathing waterWater quality along the stretch of the River Thames which will host the iconic Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race has been classified as poor by clean water campaigners, as a result of E coli from sewage pollution.Testing carried out along the four-mile …