Declan Rice's two fantastic free kicks and a striker's finish from Mikel Merino gave Arsenal an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger's clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at Thibault Courtois.

Real grew into the contest and threatened on the break, but Courtois was by far the busier goalkeeper and produced a stunning double save on the stroke of halftime to keep the game level.

There was no stopping Rice's opener, though, a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for the midfielder's first senior goal from a direct free kick.

Arsenal could have been two-up shortly after, but Courtois produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from Merino in between David Alaba's goal-line block.

Rice's second free kick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-time European champions looking stunned and the England midfielder as the first player to score multiple goals from direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout game.

Merino then coolly fired substitute Leandro Trossard's pullback into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.

Real will have to try to overhaul that lead without Camavinga, who was shown a second yellow card in the closing seconds for kicking the ball away.

The winner of the tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

The Denver Nuggets shocked the NBA world by firing head coach Michael Malone and announcing they would not extend the contract of general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday, with just six days left in the regular season. The Nuggets are just two years removed from winning the NBA championship and are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference.

However, after a four-game losing streak, Denver is now just a half-game above the logjam of four teams that are currently tied for fifth. ESPN's Basketball Power Index gives the Nuggets a 46.9% chance of sliding into the play-in tournament.

With a closing schedule that includes road games at the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets, sandwiched around a home date with the Memphis Grizzlies -- who also made a recent surprising coaching change, firing Taylor Jenkins on March 28 -- the Nuggets will be hard-pressed to hold on to their playoff spot in the wild Western Conference postseason race.

Our NBA insiders answer the big questions about these firings, including what it means for Denver's playoff hopes and the future of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets moving on from Malone and Booth with six days left in the season is _____.

Ohm Youngmisuk: Shocking but not totally blindsiding. Change was likely inevitable, but the timing was a massive surprise. Tension had been brewing between Malone and Booth for quite some time, so much so that sources described it as a "cold war." Denver has lost four straight and is just 11-13 since the All-Star break. Players such as Jokic have displayed frustration on the sideline. Vibes have been low, according to sources. And ownership believed it was time to move on from both men just days before the end of the regular season to give the team a jolt ahead of a postseason run with the best player in the world.

Bobby Marks: Stunning. I swore to myself to never use that word, especially after the Luka Doncic trade in February. But here we are two months later. Yes, there were rumblings that change was coming in Denver, but not six days before the regular season ended.

Michael C. Wright: No different than Memphis firing Jenkins, the winningest coach in franchise history: ridiculous. Denver is just two seasons removed from the only championship in franchise history, and you diminish the Nuggets' chances for a second title by firing the coach who got you to the mountaintop? This can't be a popular move within Denver's locker room.

Chris Herring: Even more surprising than Memphis' decision to fire Jenkins, given the Nuggets won the entire thing just two years ago. Jamal Murray has also missed Denver's past five games, which better explained the current skid to some extent. Apparently not, though. It's a stunning move to fire a coach with more wins than anyone over the past five seasons -- even more so to do it in the final week of the season.

Zach Kram: A sign of just how much the franchise has botched its post-championship competitive window. The team has lost key contributors without replacing them, suffered from behind-the-scenes strife and made an unprecedented decision to blow up a contender's front office and coaching staff this late in the season. As long as Jokic is in his prime, the Nuggets are dangerous. But what looked like a potential dynasty in 2023 is flailing two years later.

How does this change Denver's postseason projections?

Kram: I was already pessimistic about the Nuggets' playoff chances because of the team's 20th-ranked defense -- the worst for any team with a winning record -- and Murray's uncertain return. Now it's even harder to envision a deep run from the 2023 champs.

Marks: A month ago I was asked which team could contend with Oklahoma City. The answer was Denver. This morning before Denver cleaned house, I did not think they could get out of the first round. Their recent stretch of games and inability to get stops defensively would be a major concern even if the Nuggets kept Malone.

Herring: Perhaps the firings provide a spark, but I have a tough time thinking a change this late in the game propels Denver, just because there isn't sufficient time to make wholesale schematic or style changes. If anything, it gives me less confidence in a run from Jokic and the Nuggets.

Wright: It certainly doesn't help this team, which still has a shot to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. With Murray's extended absence due to a right hamstring issue, his availability to start the postseason is in question. Expectations already weren't high for the Nuggets, and the firing of Malone further diminishes this team's prospects because it takes away continuity.

Youngmisuk: Denver is in a fight to stay out of the play-in. The Nuggets desperately need Murray to come back healthy after missing five straight games because of a hamstring injury. If Murray is healthy when the postseason starts, the Nuggets can beat anyone with Jokic playing the best basketball of his career. He needs more help. The Nuggets are hoping interim coach David Adelman will get the team out of its slump, but a healthy Murray is vital for Jokic and the Nuggets to make another deep run.

More shocking firing: Malone or Jenkins?

Herring: Malone. He won the franchise's lone title just two years ago and has won more than anyone over the past five years. His record speaks for itself. Both firings were shockers, and I expect we'll learn far more in the coming days. But even with that info, short of Malone having some sort of static with Jokic, I'm not sure it will make this decision any more understandable; it just seems too destabilizing with so little time left.

Kram: Malone. The writing had been on the wall in Memphis for some time, since the Grizzlies replaced five of Jenkins' assistants last summer. The main surprise was the timing, not the firing itself. But Malone was such a successful mainstay in Denver that he seemed likely to remain Jokic's coach for years to come.

Wright: Malone, because of what appears to be a lack of understanding from ownership of how the franchise reached this point. Denver wants to win now but has very little flexibility and assets to make such lofty goals realistic. It's worth pondering whether this is just the beginning of a larger teardown.

Youngmisuk: Malone, simply because teams do not part with championship coaches this late in the season, especially when vying for a top-four seed. The move does give Denver a chance to see what Adelman can do. And with more openings expected this summer, Denver gets an early look at the 43-year-old coach, who has been on the radar for head coaching positions in the past.

Marks: Can I say both? I was part of the Nets front office that fired Byron Scott in 2004 after two straight NBA Finals appearances. But that was 41 games into the next season. Both Jenkins and Malone had endured injuries to their star players (Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic) since the All-Star break and were positioned to coach playoff teams. Plus, in the case of Malone, winning a championship should mean something for job security.

What does this mean for Jokic's future in Denver?

Marks: One thought came to mind after Malone was fired: I hope Nuggets ownership ran this by Jokic. The three-time MVP still has three years left on his contract (he has a player option in 2027-28), but that does not mean anything if a player is unhappy. The true sign of what the future holds in Denver is what happens once the NBA Finals conclude, when Jokic is eligible to sign a three-year, $212 million extension.

Herring: This is the question. Was there anything happening behind the scenes between Malone and Jokic? Taking this step with Malone, particularly in the final week of a season that isn't even remotely lost, is a massive gamble unless you know Jokic is OK with it. Jokic is among the least dramatic stars in the sport, but this is a highly unusual move involving a title-winning coach.

Wright: It'll be interesting to find out, considering he'll soon be eligible to sign that three-year extension. Jokic came into the league with Malone as his head coach, who then made the decision to run Denver's offense through the star big man. Jokic doesn't reveal much about his personal life, but it sure seems like loyalty is important to him. Ownership showed none with this latest move.

Kram: Probably nothing, because Jokic has never seemed like the sort of player to demand a trade. But Malone has been the Nuggets' coach for Jokic's entire career, so now we're entering uncharted territory for the NBA's best player.

Youngmisuk: Jokic isn't going anywhere. While Malone is the only NBA head coach Jokic has ever had, the Nuggets made this move in hopes of maximizing what is left of this season. Denver ownership still believes the Nuggets can make a run this postseason and considers Adelman the architect of the team's offense. The Nuggets will do everything they can to make things better around Jokic.

Besides replacing Booth and Malone, what should be the Nuggets' offseason priority to get back to championship status?

Wright: Defense needs to be prioritized, and the club could help itself by upgrading its bench. But it's unclear how the Nuggets will get there with minimum contracts, which are needed because they'll be a luxury tax team for the fourth year in a row and are expected to be hit with a hefty repeater tax penalty.

Marks: Because Denver is top heavy in salary (67% of the team's cap next season is tied up in Jokic, Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon), it has only the $5.6 million midlevel exception to use in free agency. In trades, the Nuggets are not allowed to take back salary because they are projected to be over the second apron. The Nuggets are also limited to what draft picks they can trade. They have a first- and second-rounder in 2032 available to send in a trade.

Kram: Build a bench that doesn't collapse every time Jokic leaves the floor. The Nuggets have a very strong starting lineup but minimal depth behind their top five, particularly after Christian Braun's successful promotion to the starting group. Maybe youngsters such as Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther will continue to develop. But the Nuggets also need to make better free agent decisions after whiffing on Dario Saric and Reggie Jackson while losing championship contributors Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. Denver's net rating is plus-9.9 with Jokic on the floor, the mark of a championship contender, but minus-8.7 without him, which is the same as the Pelicans' 28th-ranked net rating.

Herring: A far better defense that doesn't require the offense to be as efficient as it has been for the majority of the season. And with Murray and Porter largely unable to keep the reserve unit afloat when Jokic is off the floor, Denver clearly needs better bench play, too. The Nuggets, who rank fifth in 3-point percentage but dead last in 3-point attempts, also need far more volume from long range.

Youngmisuk: The Nuggets have to surround Jokic with the best players possible, whether that's with the supporting cast and a better second unit or potentially a new coaching voice from the sideline. Maximizing the championship window around Jokic has to be the priority. Nothing else should matter.

Former major league pitcher Octavio Dotel was among the dozens who died after the roof of an iconic nightclub collapsed in the Dominican Republic early Tuesday morning, the Dominican National Police confirmed.

Officials said at least 58 people were killed, a number that also included Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Monte Cristi and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz. Another 160 people were injured, according to the Dominican civil defense.

The collapse occurred around 1 a.m. during a merengue concert, which drew athletes, politicians and others to the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.

The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic also confirmed Dotel's death on social media.

Dotel, who logged 36 saves for the Houston Astros and the Athletics in 2004, was pulled from the rubble about six hours after the collapse and was transported to a hospital.

"Dotel was taken to one of the designated hospitals. On the way there, his condition worsened and he died," Dominican National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira said.

Dotel, 51, started his major league career in 1999 with the New York Mets. In 2011, he helped the St. Louis Cardinals win a World Series. During his 15 years in the majors, Dotel recorded 109 saves and logged a 3.78 ERA.

We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that former Astros pitcher Octavio Dotel was one of several individuals that passed away when a roof collapsed in his native Dominican Republic last night.

Dotel, 51, spent five seasons (2000-04) of his outstanding, 15-year Major... pic.twitter.com/wQui3h7rko

Houston Astros (@astros) April 8, 2025

Nelsy Cruz had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m. saying that she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, first lady Raquel Arbaje told reporters. Officials said Cruz died later at the hospital.

"This is too great a tragedy," an emotional Arbaje said.

President Abinader, who was at the scene, wrote on X that all rescue agencies are "working tirelessly" to help those affected.

Nearly 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed down onto patrons, rescue crews were still pulling survivors out of the debris. At the scene, firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and sawed planks of wood to use them to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.

"We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive," Abinader told reporters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Earlier, former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini battled back from a set down to knock out German top seed Alexander Zverev.

Defeat for second-ranked Zverev means that Jannik Sinner is guaranteed to remain as world number one when he returns from his three-month doping ban at the Italian Open in May.

Zverev twice broke Berrettini's serve in a commanding opening set but the Italian seized his first opportunity of the match in set two to force a decider.

Berrettini served for the match at 5-3 in the third, but Zverev responded with a good return game to level the set.

However, Berrettini broke once again and held his nerve to serve out a tense 68-minute third set.

Following the biggest win of his career by ranking, Berrettini awaits either compatriot Lorenzo Musetti or Czech Jiri Lehecka in round three.

Also on Tuesday, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to beat Australian Jordan Thompson 4-6 6-4 6-2.

Northampton Saints have signed Italy international prop Danilo Fischetti from Zebre for next season.

The 27-year-old picked up his 50th cap for the Azzurri during this year's Six Nations and has previously played in England for London Irish.

He said: "The competitiveness and the support from the fans across the league is very good.

"I remember coming into Franklin's Gardens for the first time a few years ago and being blown away by the place, and the way the supporters got behind the team was really crazy.

"The opportunity to play for Northampton is incredible. I enjoyed watching the team win the Premiership title last year, and repeating that is a huge target for me I am coming here to try to win trophies."

Director of rugby Phil Dowson said: "Danilo was very much the standout candidate when we looked around at loosehead props to boost our front-row options next season.

"He has a huge amount to offer in the loose as well, both in attack and defence, and we are confident we can continue to help him improve so he can have even greater impacts on games. He'll be a huge asset for us."

Earlier on Tuesday Northampton confirmed that Tom Seabrook, Tarek Haffar and Reuben Logan will leave the club at the end of the season.

"It was decided that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and 12 weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point."

The independent disciplinary committee took into account "the player's timely acceptance that he had committed an act of foul play that would have warranted a red card, his expression of remorse, clean disciplinary record and good conduct and full participation in the disciplinary hearing".

It therefore "decided to reduce the sanction by the maximum of 50% before imposing a six-week suspension".

The incident with Cole took place in the second minute at Scotstoun and, afterwards, Glasgow attack coach Nigel Carolan called Venter "a gentleman", insisting "whatever happened was an accident".

On the prospect of losing a key player for such an important game in Dublin, Carolan added: "It would be unfortunate because he's such a good-natured person.

"It's not in his intention to hurt anyone or to cause harm, especially with all the cameras that are around. It's kind of silly, but it was just unfortunate and something that we'll just have to deal with."

Venter will join French club Brive at the end of the season.

Cardiff is regarded as one of the grand club names in world rugby.

Greats of the game including Cliff Morgan, Bleddyn Williams, Sir Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Terry Holmes, John Scott, Neil Jenkins, Jonah Lomu, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton have all worn the Cardiff shirt in different guises.

Cardiff Rugby were formed in 1876 following an amalgamation between Cardiff Wanderers and the Glamorgan Football Club and the first game took place on December 2, 1876, against Newport RFC.

The Blue & Blacks became universally acknowledged as one of the world's most famous and successful sides.

Playing at Cardiff Arms Park, they claimed victories over major touring teams, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and achieved numerous national honours.

With the advent of regional rugby in 2003, Cardiff was granted its own standalone professional team.

They initially played under the Cardiff Blues brand, with a semi-professional Cardiff RFC side beneath them playing in the Welsh Premiership.

The region originally encompassed Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan but following the demise of the Celtic Warriors in 2004, Cardiff club took on responsibility for a wider area that included Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr and Powys.

Cardiff dropped the 'Blues' title in 2021 when they were rebranded as Cardiff Rugby.

In the regional era, Cardiff have won the European Challenge Cup twice in 2010 and 2018.