Declan Rice has lifted the lid on Mikel Arteta’s dressing room message following Arsenal’s heartbreaking Champions League final defeat to PSG on penalties.
After a 1-1 draw after extra time in Budapest, Arsenal were painfully beaten in the shootout.
Eberechi Eze missed the second spot kick before Gabriel Magalhaes saw his crucial fifth penalty fly over the bar to end the Gunners’ dream of a historic double.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Declan Rice revealed that the Arsenal manager was obviously gutted, but had a message of love and perspective for his players.
Tell us we’re wrong…Mikel Arteta just cost Arsenal the Champions League by sending Gabriel up to take a penalty
“He’s gutted. He’s gutted but he spoke about how much he loves us,” Rice said. “I think we have come so far as a club.
“When I came to this club it was a quarter-final exit, then a semi-final exit, and now a final exit. One more step and we go again.
“One thing about us — this won’t define us. We will be back.”
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal know exactly where they stand and where they are going. It hurts, but they have to take this on the chin and go again. And they will.
Declan Rice insists Arsenal will be back after heartbreaking final defeat
The manner of the defeat will sting both the fans and the players for some time, but they cannot dwell on the loss.
A quarter-final exit, a semi-final exit, and now a final — the trajectory is there. The next step is winning it.
Arteta has built something special at the Emirates, and he finally has a Premier League title to show for it.
The Arsenal manager was quick to remind his players of how far they have come and to look forward, and rightly so.
The foundation is there. As Rice said — they will be back.
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