Declan Rice says Arsenal are heading into tonight’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain with full belief they can overturn the 1-0 deficit and book a place in the final.
Speaking at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference at the Parc des Princes, the midfielder was calm but confident, emphasising that the squad are focused and fuelled by the chance to achieve something “really special.”
“Nothing changes, to be honest with you,” said Rice. “It’s a semi-final, it’s 90 minutes away from a final – that says everything. The manager has spoken to us, and as players, we know what’s possible. We can go out there and achieve something great for this club.”
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Arsenal trail by a single goal following last week’s first leg, but Rice insisted there is no shortage of confidence in the camp.
“We obviously know we’re 1-0 down, but we have full belief and full positivity that we’re going to go out there and win.”
Reflecting on the previous leg, Rice admitted the early goal from PSG shook the team momentarily.
“It probably shocked us a little bit and took us 15–20 minutes to settle. But once we started playing, we created big chances, and Donnarumma made some incredible saves. We had full belief then – and we still do now.”
He added that the tie is finely balanced, and with the right mindset, Arsenal can turn the night into a memorable one.
“If we’re the best versions of ourselves, there’s no stopping us. You can’t come into a Champions League semi-final in Paris without belief and courage.”
Rice has already made a big impact in the competition, notably scoring two stunning free-kicks in the quarter-final home leg against Real Madrid. He referenced Mikel Arteta’s words about “magic moments” and the need for someone to step up again.
“The manager always talks about them – magic moments. Against Madrid, I had mine. Hopefully tomorrow, it’s me again – or someone else. We’re all ready.”
The second leg kicks off tonight at the Parc des Princes, with a spot in the final against Inter on the line.
