7M - Rice Defiant as Arsenal Reach Champions League Semis

Declan Rice dismissed external criticism after Arsenal advanced to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with a narrow aggregate victory over Sporting CP. The Gunners secured a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium on April 15, 2026, progressing 1-0 on aggregate thanks to Kai Havertz's decisive goal in the first leg in Portugal.

Despite limited scoring opportunities and Leandro Trossard striking the woodwork late in the match, Arsenal achieved back-to-back Champions League semi-final appearances for the first time in club history. Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, Rice emphasized the squad's focus: "Frustrating? No, we just got to the semi-final, positivity all the way. Who cares what people think? All that matters is what this group think, what the manager thinks."

Arsenal's defensive resilience proved decisive. Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, they have recorded 13 clean sheets in 18 Champions League home matches—more than any other side in the competition. The second leg featured a combined expected goals tally of just 0.93, the lowest in this season's tournament and the lowest for a quarter-final since Barcelona faced Manchester United in April 2019.

The result offers a positive response following three consecutive domestic defeats to Manchester City, Southampton, and Bournemouth. Rice acknowledged the pressure surrounding the club but urged composure: "This is Arsenal, there's noise with every game. If you don't play well, take it with a pinch of salt and keep moving."

Looking ahead, Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid in the last four. Before that, a crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City awaits this Sunday, with the league leaders holding a six-point advantage despite City having a game in hand. Rice affirmed the team's ambition: "Of course, you have to win every game. We want to win every game in the Premier League."