Declan Rice: Thomas Partey’s Arsenal Teammate Shares Motivational Message After UCL Exit

• English midfielder Declan Rice has opened up following Arsenal's Champions League exit on Wednesday night
• Rice, who partners Thomas Partey in midfield, drew positives from his side's 3-1 aggregate loss to PSG
• He and his teammates will now turn their attention to securing a top-four position as the season winds down

Declan Rice has broken his silence following Arsenal’s painful Champions League elimination at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, May 7.

The North London outfit, once again, fell short on the continental stage, falling 3-1 on aggregate and 2-1 on the night, despite high expectations and a promising run that included ousting reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

For many fans, the semi-final tie against PSG was supposed to mark a turning point in Arsenal's European pedigree.

Instead, it became a lesson in missed opportunities and tactical shortcomings.

Arsenal falls short against PSG

In the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s side looked disjointed and lacked fluidity in possession. The absence of Thomas Partey was glaring.

Without his ability to dictate tempo, provide vertical passes, and shield the back line with positional intelligence, Arsenal lacked midfield control.

An early strike from Ousmane Dembélé proved enough to put the French giants in command.

By the return leg, Partey was back in the lineup, restoring a semblance of balance, but it proved to be a case of much ado about nothing as the Ghanaian himself was guilty of costing his side with two mistakes.

Arsenal dominated stretches of play but lacked incisiveness in front of goal. Goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to bundle the Gunners out of the competition, per Sky Sports.

Declan Rice breaks his silence after defeat to PSG

Reflecting on the setback, Rice offered a grounded perspective, emphasising the long-term value of learning through adversity.

“In life, in general, sometimes you have to lose a few in order to win,” he said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“You have to overcome setbacks to mentally grow, as a person, as a player, as a group – and we’re going through that.”

Arsenal to go trophyless for the fifth straight season

The defeat marks Arsenal’s fifth consecutive season without silverware under Arteta, despite steady domestic improvement.

Entering the 2024/25 campaign on the back of two straight second-place finishes in the Premier League, there was genuine belief among supporters that this could finally be their breakthrough year across all competitions.

However, injuries to key players at crucial stages derailed momentum, allowing Liverpool seize the initiative and pull away in the title race.

As a result, Arsenal now find themselves needing to salvage pride in the closing weeks of the season.

Their next test is a formidable one, an encounter with league leaders Liverpool on Sunday, May 11.

With little margin for error, every fixture from here on will be crucial in determining their final league standing.

Arsenal's prize money after UCL exit revealed

In a previous update, YEN.com.gh reported that Arsenal's Champions League journey came to a halt at the semi-final stage against PSG, but the campaign was not without reward.

The North London side is set to receive £12.7 million for its efforts, a financial boost that could aid Mikel Arteta’s plans to reinforce the squad during the summer transfer window.

Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh