Declan Rice has lifted the lid on the jubilant scenes that erupted inside the Arsenal dressing room following the club’s historic qualification for the Champions League final. The north London outfit brought an end to a twenty-year absence from European football’s biggest stage, grinding out a 1-0 home result against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates, with Bukayo Saka providing the decisive moment.
Inside the Dressing Room: Rice’s Account
A night of intense emotion unfolded at the Emirates as the Gunners advanced to the final with a 2-1 aggregate scoreline. Reflecting on the post-match atmosphere in an interview with Amazon Prime, Rice painted a vivid picture of the celebrations. “It is chaos [in the dressing room]. I don’t think you can underestimate what we have done in this competition up to this point. I think we have every right to celebrate that moment. The most prestigious competition in club football. We are just trying to soak it all in,” the central midfielder remarked.
The Three Lions star acknowledged that the magnitude of the occasion had been crystal clear from the outset, with the squad arriving fully focused for the contest against Diego Simeone‘s side. “We knew coming into the game what was at stake. If you can’t get up for that, then you can’t get up for any game of football. When we went 1-0 up, I knew we were going to win. I could feel something special building,” he continued.
Lewis-Skelly’s Breakthrough Moment
Beyond the established names grabbing attention, Rice was eager to draw focus to the contribution of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Following a breakthrough 2024-25 season, the youngster has spent much of the current campaign as backup to Riccardo Calafiori at left-back. Yet, handed a starting berth ahead of Martin Zubimendi in the midfield zone, the 19-year-old put in a remarkably composed performance against the Spanish giants.
“We have always known what Myles can do,” Rice stated. “I remember last year when he played so many games. Last year when he stepped up [against] Real Madrid away at the Bernabeu at 18 — I thought: ‘Wow what a player.'”
Crediting Mikel Arteta‘s demanding standards for shaping the teenager’s growth — especially when deployed in an unfamiliar position — Rice elaborated: “The manager has been tough on him behind the scenes. He has kept his head down and he has worked so hard. He is in early, gym and works hard. To be thrown in at the deep end and perform how he did is no surprise to me.”
Arteta’s Project Reaches a New Peak
The road to the Budapest final represents the payoff from years of patient construction under Arteta‘s leadership. Rice noted that the squad has channelled past setbacks into the drive that has propelled them to the elite level. “Where this club has come from over the last few years — things that hurt you as a player. The manager has taken full control. We have kept building — we have kept pushing each other,” he reflected.
The relentless demands of the current season have seen the Gunners compete at the highest level across both domestic and European fronts. Rice expressed confidence that the squad’s commitment is now bearing fruit. “This competition and the Premier League. We have gone full throttle. We have found ourselves in a good position with less than a month to go. Sunday now is a massive one,” the former West Ham skipper concluded.
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