Declan Rice explains defining moment Arsenal missed against PSG in Champions League defeat

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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has admitted the team struggled with the absence of several key players throughout the season but praised the squad’s resilience and belief following their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners faced an uphill battle after a 1-0 defeat in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium. Despite a spirited effort in Wednesday night’s return leg at the Parc des Princes, Arsenal’s hopes of a historic comeback were dashed with a 2-1 loss. Goals from Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi put PSG firmly in control, while Bukayo Saka’s late strike offered the visitors a glimmer of hope that ultimately fell short.

The defeat adds to Arsenal’s growing list of near-misses, with the club having fallen short in the Premier League title race for the second consecutive season and now losing all four of their semi-final ties under manager Mikel Arteta without winning a single leg.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Rice reflected on a season full of challenges but remained proud of the team’s efforts.

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“It’s been tough,” said the England international. “We’ve done the whole season without five or six of our best players, and to be where we are and to have achieved what we have is unbelievable. I fully stand by that.

“The players out there gave absolutely everything. Even the injured lads who travelled with us tonight, and every staff member—everyone fully believed. I think you saw that from the first whistle, how much we believed we could win and put on a performance.

“On another night, we maybe score two or three. It was just that first 20 minutes—when they score and we don’t take our chances—it’s a real kick in the teeth.

“We’ll assess it, and we’ll be back. Three games left in the season. It’s been a really long campaign and we really wanted this one, but we’ll keep pushing. That’s why we play—to win and to be the best we can be.”

Declan Rice was also candid about Arsenal’s ongoing wait for silverware under Arteta, acknowledging the frustration but reaffirming the team’s ambition to end the drought.

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“We’re all desperate for it,” he added. “That’s why we play football—to win trophies, to be at the pinnacle, winning things.

“For whatever reason, in the last two years—both in the cups and the league—it hasn’t been meant to be. We’ve been really, really close, and while that’s obviously not good enough for a club like Arsenal, which deserves to be winning trophies, there’s not much more we could have done.

“Sometimes you have to go through the small losses to win big. That’s what many of the game’s biggest stars have done in the past—they’ve suffered defeats before coming out on top.

“It hurts. You see the boys, the manager—it’s tough. It’s a semi-final. We wanted to be in Munich, and it’s not meant to be, but this doesn’t define us. We’ll be back, for sure.”

With three games remaining in their domestic campaign, Arsenal will be eager to finish the season strongly as they set their sights on mounting another push for trophies next term.

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