Declan Rice on Arsenal attempt to turnaround PSG 1-0 lead in Champions League semi final
06/05/2025
uefa25 champions league
06/05/2025
uefa25 champions league
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming. We'll kick off with you, Alex.
00:08Hi, mate.
00:10How did you come into this game? How did you approach it?
00:15I think nothing changes, to be honest with you.
00:22It's a semi-final. It's 90 minutes away from a final.
00:26I think that tells you everything you need to know.
00:28I think the managers spoke to us.
00:30Us as a group of players know what we can achieve tomorrow night.
00:33It's a game of football.
00:34We can go out there and achieve something great for this club.
00:37That's what we want to do.
00:39We obviously know we're 1-0 down, but we have full belief,
00:42full positivity that we're going to go out there and win tomorrow night.
00:45There's always been lots of talk about your position as No. 6 and No. 8,
00:50but do you feel in the more advanced role recently
00:52you've gone to another level in your game?
00:55Yeah, I've been really enjoying it.
00:57I've played the majority of games at No. 8.
00:59Obviously, playing with Thomas, it's allowed me to be that more box-to-box role.
01:04I thoroughly enjoyed it.
01:06It gives me a bit more freedom to roam around the pitch, get in the box,
01:09also do my defensive duties as well.
01:11I'm quite lucky.
01:13Obviously, Thomas is there.
01:14He sits in front of the back four and he lets me roam up and down.
01:17But, yeah, I'm really enjoying that position at the minute.
01:20John?
01:21Hello, Declan.
01:22I was just going to ask you, I think you were caught on TV cameras in the tunnel before the first game.
01:26If we don't have the ball, we die.
01:28Basically.
01:29I just wondered what you...
01:31Can I just put that to...
01:32I actually didn't...
01:33I don't think I said that.
01:34I think it was something...
01:35I don't know how that came about.
01:37I read that after the game and I was like, I'm not sure I said that.
01:40And then, obviously, a big thing got made about it.
01:42I think I was just talking about it in general.
01:44Like, we obviously know PSG are a really good team with the ball.
01:47And sometimes you are going to suffer, but it's about, you know, how you defend,
01:51how you stay compact and, you know, how you can hurt them when you regain the ball.
01:56So, yeah, I think that story got spun a little bit.
01:58But, yeah, that's what I was saying.
02:01Was that one of the hardest nights that you think you and also the team...
02:06I mean, I think PSG are probably the best team I've seen in Europe this season.
02:09So, they've been an outstanding team, aren't they?
02:11Was that a really difficult night for the team?
02:13And how do you feel in the end you came through it?
02:15No, not really.
02:16I think the first 15 minutes, I think the early goal probably shocked us a little bit.
02:20And it took us probably 15, 20 minutes to get a foothold in the game.
02:24But once we started keeping the ball a little bit
02:26and started to create some chances,
02:28and obviously Donnarumma made some amazing saves.
02:30We had full belief.
02:31And then second half, obviously there was a little blip,
02:34there was probably 10 minutes to go where they hit the crossbar
02:37and we put one wide.
02:38But we had some massive chances as well.
02:40So, I think tomorrow night is going to be a really good game.
02:43And like I said, we're really positive.
02:44And we have full belief we can come here and do something special.
02:47Gary.
02:48Hi, Dake.
02:49Hello.
02:50Very positive.
02:51Look like you're buzzing.
02:52Obviously, you've experienced winning a European semi-final,
02:55winning a European final.
02:57Can you sense you're going to do similar this time?
03:01Yeah, I think you need to have full belief.
03:04We certainly have that as a group.
03:06The manager certainly drills that into us every single day.
03:09I think if we're the best versions of ourselves tomorrow night
03:12and we know we can be that,
03:14there's no stopping us getting into that final.
03:16We really need to be positive.
03:18You can't come into a semi-final away at Paris
03:21and not have that belief and courage
03:23that you're going to come here and win the game.
03:25So, we're ready and we're looking forward to it.
03:27It's going to be a really special night to be a part of.
03:29Talking there about looking forward,
03:31and of course we're looking forward,
03:32but just look back quickly.
03:34I've watched both of your free kicks
03:36in the first leg against Real Madrid about a hundred times.
03:39How often have you watched them?
03:40Probably about the same, to be honest with you.
03:42Yeah, it was a special moment, obviously, them two goals.
03:46Just the fact it was back-to-back, you know,
03:48it was the first one and the second one straight after.
03:51I'm not sure I'll probably ever do that ever again,
03:53to be honest with you.
03:54But it was a real special moment and obviously to help the team
03:57get through.
03:59Yeah, it was...
04:01Honestly, I'm still speechless.
04:02Like, when I look back at them, it's just incredible.
04:04So, yeah, hopefully maybe tomorrow night I can get another one.
04:07Let's see.
04:08Jordan.
04:09Hi, Dec.
04:10As Gary said, you played in big semi-finals for West Ham
04:12and for England.
04:13Does that sort of pressure just come as second nature to you now?
04:16Yeah, I think so.
04:18I think it's just I've played so many games of football now.
04:20I've been obviously playing since I was 18 professionally.
04:23And tomorrow night, it's just another game, you know.
04:26It's a semi-final of the Champions League.
04:27But, you know, I don't put too much pressure on myself.
04:30You know, it's us versus them.
04:32And we obviously know what we have to do to get to the final.
04:35Like you said, I've played in semi-finals before
04:37and I was required to get to finals.
04:39And hopefully tomorrow night as a group we can pull through
04:42and we can achieve something really, really good
04:44and make it a really special night for this club.
04:47And one of the semi-finals that stands out, I think for the wrong reasons,
04:50was the Frankfurt game at West Ham and when there was an early red card
04:53and emotional.
04:54And is that kind of the opposite of what you need tomorrow night?
04:57Just calm heads and to just keep believing no matter what happens?
05:00Yeah, 100%.
05:01I think we're sure we can do it.
05:03When we went to the Bernabeu the other week there was a lot of questions
05:05on whether we could rise to that occasion.
05:08We obviously had a 3-0 lead but there was still so much talk about them
05:11obviously coming back and playing at the Bernabeu and we've not experienced that before.
05:15But I think as a group we handled that amazingly well.
05:17Obviously the atmosphere tomorrow night is going to be incredible as well.
05:20But we've proved that we can handle big situations.
05:23And tomorrow night is another massive step for this team, you know.
05:26We're a young team but if we want to keep being one of the best teams
05:29and want to win stuff we need to keep taking these massive steps.
05:32And tomorrow night is a big step to take and we're fully driven by the fact
05:36there's a final 90 minutes away so we need to be ready.
05:39Sam?
05:40Hi, Dec.
05:41When you joined Arsenal you spoke about adding new layers and levels to your game
05:45and becoming even better.
05:46Do you feel like those three kicks and the goals and sort of getting forward now,
05:49you've kind of proven that you've done that and if so how much more
05:53do you think there is still to come from you over the next three or four years?
05:56Yeah, there's so much more to come from me I think.
05:59I think I've been doing it for such a long time even at West Ham.
06:01I played at a really good level.
06:03Mikel working under him has definitely added more layers to my game.
06:07It's been incredible.
06:09At the moment I feel really, really confident in my game.
06:12Going into games I feel really assured, really confident that I'm going to play well
06:17and I'm going to help the team out and obviously for the next few years going forward,
06:20I just want to help this club, you know.
06:22We're so close the last few years to winning obviously Premier Leagues.
06:25We're in the semi-final now of the Champions League.
06:27The next step for us is to win trophies and I sense that we're close
06:30but to get over the line you have to win that first one
06:33and then I feel like they'll start coming in for sure.
06:35We have such a good group but we need to keep believing and being positive.
06:40A couple more on this road, start with Simon.
06:42Deck, just on that new sort of attacking role, are there players you've studied
06:45or looked at in particular?
06:47I mean England's obviously got a rich history of those sort of goal scoring midfielders.
06:51No, not really to be honest with you.
06:53Obviously I watch football naturally so I see, you know, obviously the likes of Lampard back in the day,
06:58how they used to move around in the box, get away from their opponents and score
07:01but obviously playing under this, playing in this eight row under Mikel was a bit different.
07:05You know, I'm not always in the box, it's a bit more of a box-to-box role.
07:08Having to play in pockets a little bit more, dropping deep, just depending on what the opposition do.
07:13But I'm thoroughly enjoying it, you know, it's a completely different role to what I've ever known
07:17and yeah, I think you're starting to see the best of me and what I can do
07:21and you know, I'm happy that I can showcase that.
07:24Tom?
07:25Hi Dec, I think in the 100 games that you've now played for Arsenal,
07:29you've become one of the key leaders in the group.
07:32The team's leader, Martin Odegaard, the captain, has had, by his standards, he says himself,
07:37you know, not his best season at Arsenal.
07:39How has he been outside of what we've seen, still as a leader for you, off the pitch, as a captain
07:44and how important is that role for him and you in the group?
07:47Yeah, he's incredible. He's our leader, he's our captain.
07:50He trains every single day, he plays every minute of every game.
07:54He's one of the best lads I've seen away from the pitch in terms of how he lives his life.
07:59He's got the full respect to the dressing room, the way he demands, the way he drives the team, the way he speaks.
08:05You wouldn't see him as that type of character, but he really is behind the scenes.
08:10And he's been amazing for us. You know, I wouldn't want anyone else being our captain.
08:15And I think the lads, you know, feel the same way about that as well.
08:17Obviously, everyone has a dip in form. You know, I've had dip in forms before.
08:21It doesn't matter because he can deliver on the biggest stage and tomorrow night I'm sure he will.
08:26So, yeah, we're ready and we're always with Martin because, you know, he's one of our best players.
08:31Ed.
08:32Hi, Declan. When you scored your two free kicks, Mikel mentioned that it was an example of a player taking the initiative themselves,
08:40something that couldn't be coached. Do you think that's something that's really important when you go into the game tomorrow night,
08:44that you guys, you know, act on instinct and show what you can do?
08:48Yeah, I think the manager, he calls them magic moments. He always talks about them, you know, someone delivering a magic moment.
08:54And I think in that game against Madrid, obviously, I was able to produce two free kicks, which were incredible.
09:01But tomorrow night, you know, a semi-final, it's set up for someone else, you know, to maybe get that magic moment.
09:07Hopefully it's me again, but you're going to need a moment of magic to win a game.
09:11And as a team, you know, we're going to need that. So, yeah, tomorrow night, hopefully we can deliver something special.
09:16Last couple in English, James.
09:18Hi, Declan. Wayne Rooney suggested in his punditry during the first leg that Arsenal had a fear to win against PSG.
09:25Do you recognise that at all? I mean, it's obviously the club's first semi-final in 16 years,
09:30but is there sort of a feeling within the group that, you know, you do belong at this level?
09:33Yeah, 100%. I think our second group game of the Champions League, we beat them 2-0.
09:39And it was the same team other than Dembele and Cavaz Galio. Everyone else started and we beat them.
09:46So there's no fear. Like I said, I think probably the goal inside three minutes probably shocked us a little bit,
09:53shocked the atmosphere a little bit. But once we found a foothold in the game again, you know,
09:57and we started creating chances, like I said, the goalkeeper made some amazing saves.
10:01We fully believed that we could beat them. Obviously, it wasn't meant to be.
10:05But we've seen enough and we know enough as a team that tomorrow night we can do something really, really good.
10:09And we definitely believed that we belong at this level.
10:12I'm sure you know the fans saying we got him half price about you now.
10:16I mean, but there was a lot of talk about the price tag when you came in.
10:19You must be very proud about how that conversation just completely changed now.
10:22Yeah, for sure. I think that it's just my job at the end of the day.
10:25I don't take too much notice about price tags and what I got bought for.
10:29Obviously, I can't control that. It's just me playing football.
10:31And I suppose it was the price West Ham wanted.
10:34But yeah, I think I knew when I come to this club that I could be consistent.
10:39I could be available to play games. Obviously, I've reached 100 the other day already in two seasons.
10:43And yeah, I just want to keep doing the best for this team.
10:46And like I said, I'm sure I will. And we've got such a good group, such a good manager.
10:50So now's the time and the time to deliver.
10:53Isan.
10:54Hi, Dak. At Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, of course, with the deficit,
10:57there was this big thing of the Real Madrid and all the noise around that.
11:00How did you guys kind of cope from that?
11:02And is there anything you've learnt from that which you could maybe bring to this second leg here?
11:06Yeah, obviously, there was so much talk about them coming back.
11:11A lot of their players were saying straight from after the game that they were thinking about next week.
11:16And obviously, knowing that a lot of us were going to the Bernabeu for the first time,
11:20we knew it was going to be a difficult night even with a 3-0 lead
11:22because special things had happened there in the Champions League.
11:25But like I said, we'd cope with the pressure really, really well.
11:28And we put in a really, really good performance.
11:30And I'm pretty sure tomorrow night you're going to see the same type of performance from this team
11:34because we rise to the big occasions and we're ready to do it again.
11:38Hi, Dec. Just on that actually, there's maybe this sense that Arsenal have to throw everything into tomorrow.
11:43But there's maybe a bit of complication there because in every game or every knockout game PSG have played,
11:47they've kind of thrown the opposition under an onslaught for the first 30.
11:52How does that change your approach, your thinking on it?
11:55Yeah, we're not going to change the way we play for anyone.
11:59You know, we have a way of playing the way of how the manager wants to set up and go.
12:04And if he says that's the way we want to play, you know, we're not going to go out there and do the opposite.
12:07We're going to do exactly what he wants us to do.
12:09And I think tomorrow night, no way we're just going to go out there and sit back.
12:13You know, we're here to win the game. We're here to make a statement.
12:16And like I said, we want to get to the final. So we need to be ready to go and do that.
12:20Last one in English, Jordan.
12:21Hi, Dec. And just on that point, two years ago when you first joined,
12:24I think after your first few sessions, you said it was almost like you were relearning football.
12:28All the things that go into these games, there's so many details, press and pattern.
12:32Do you now feel two years on that if the game has to change like it did in the first half,
12:36you can take that initiative on the pitch and walk it out now?
12:39Yeah, definitely. I think obviously with their manager, Luis Enrique, he's really good tactically.
12:45Obviously our manager is really good tactically. And you felt that in the first leg, you know,
12:48and there was a lot of movement in midfield, you know, they've run around so much
12:52and create a lot of space for each other. The way they move between the lines was really, really smart.
12:57But once we worked out, you know, how we could, you know, beat them, obviously we missed a few chances.
13:02But in terms of how we was driving with the ball, given our wingers 1v1 opportunities,
13:06chances started to open up and I think tomorrow night, you know, we need to do the same.
13:10You know, we need to have big balls and we need to go out there on the biggest stage
13:13and show that we're ready to play at this level.
13:16And last one in French.
13:18Bonjour Declan, in French, please.
13:20There, there.
13:25Did you just want?
13:26Yeah.
13:27Good.
13:28Hello.
13:29Hello.
13:30Tomorrow, Thomas Partey will be back. He missed the match, he was suspended.
13:33What can he bring, especially in the battle of the middle of the field,
13:36face to the profile of quite technical players, as you said, of the PSG players?
13:44Yeah, total calmness.
13:46I think playing with Thomas, I've realized that one of the best things about him is on the pitch,
13:52how calm he is with the football and the calmness he brings to the team.
13:57It's really special to play with a player like him.
13:59And before I come to Arsenal, there was so much talk about Thomas and how good he is.
14:04And not always he gets the recognition he deserves, but playing with him close and training with him every day,
14:09for sure, he allows me to be a better player because of the way he plays.
14:13And, yeah, tomorrow night we're going to need a big performance from him and myself,
14:17but also the full 11 that are out there because it's going to be the biggest night in this club's history
14:22if we can get to the final.
14:23So we're fully ready to go.
14:25Perfect. We'll end it there.
14:26Thank you, guys.
14:27Thanks, guys.
14:28Have a good night.