Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice: It Hurts But We'll Be Back

Gunners midfielder Rice reflects on Arsenal's Champions League KO at PSG




Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice: It Hurts But We'll Be Back

Gunners midfielder Rice reflects on Arsenal's KO at PSG 

Gianluigi Donnarumma made two superb saves as PSG withstood Arsenal's early dominance in a pulsating game

Fabián Ruiz and Hakimi sealed PSG’s Champions League final place despite the Gunners ferocious start, as Mikel Arteta's attacking Arsenal fall narrowly short, despite a late goal from Bukayo Saka

Speaking after the match Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said: "I thought we were dominant today, if we score one of them chances in the first 15-20 mins then the game chances. Two mistakes from us and two goals for them.

"We give it everything, it wasn't meant to be. You're in or you're out in this competition. Over the two legs we could've scored more goals but Donnarumma has been unbelievable and it wasn't meant to be.

"Sometimes you have to lose a few in order to win and overcome setbacks to grow as a player and as a group.

"We're going through that at the moment in terms of the league and Champions League - we've been here back-to-back seasons - we're growing as a team but we need to keep pushing and believing. We're absolutely gutted but this doesn't define us for sure. We'll be stronger with our players back who have been out for a long time."

On injuries:

"It's tough. We've done the whole season without five or six of our best players so to do what we've done is unbelievable.

"We've given it everything, the whole squad, everyone flying with us and everyone believed. You could see that we believed it.

"On another night we maybe score two or three, that first 20 minutes where they score and we don't take our chances is a kick in the teeth.

"We'll be back, three games left, it's been a long season but we keep pushing because we want to win and do the best we can."

On winning a trophy:

"We're all desperate for it.

"That's why we play football, we want to win trophies, we want to be at the pinnacle, winning stuff.

"For whatever reason it hasn't been meant to be. We've been really close and it's not good enough.

"Arsenal deserve to be pushing for trophies and winning things but there's not a lot more we can be doing.

"A lot of superstars have suffered defeats to come out on top.

"It hurts, you see the boys, the manager.

"We wanted to be in Munich but this doesn't define us and we'll be back."


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