Declan Rice recalled how Chelsea ‘didn’t give him a probability’ as he paid tribute to his former club West Ham after Arsenal reached the Champions League final.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders became the primary team to book their place within the Champions League final as they beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.
The semi-final tie was finely poised after a 1-1 draw within the Spanish capital last week and Bukayo Saka poked home the decisive goal on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Arsenal were beaten by eventual winners PSG within the semi-finals but have gone at the very least one higher this season to achieve their first Champions League final since 2006.
The Gunners, who’re on for an incredible double as additionally they chase a primary Premier League title in 22 years, will face either PSG or Bayern Munich within the May 30 final in Budapest.
Next up for Arsenal, though, is an important Premier League game against Rice’s former club West Ham, who’re fighting hard to avoid relegation.
Asked about his mindset ahead of that game, Rice insisted he wouldn’t be where he’s today without West Ham after being released by Chelsea’s academy on the age of 14.
Rice doesn’t intend to do the Hammers any favours, nevertheless, and says he’s eager to help Arsenal clinch a long-awaited Premier League title before attentions turn to the Champions League final.
‘That club gave me the whole lot, without West Ham there’s no me,’ Rice told Prime Video after Arsenal’s victory over Atletico Madrid.
‘I truthfully imagine that. They gave me a probability when Chelsea didn’t. Plenty of people there really pushed me on so it’s not nice to see the position they’re in.
‘But it’s football and I’ve got a job to do on Sunday. We’re attempting to win a Premier League title, we would like to win every game and I’m sure they’ll wish to as well so let one of the best team win.’
The total-time whistle was met by jubilant scenes contained in the Emirates Stadium and Rice revealed the celebrations continued within the dressing room.
‘It’s chaos in there,’ the England midfielder added. ‘I don’t think you’ll be able to underestimate what we’ve got done on this competition up thus far.
‘I feel we’ve got every right to rejoice that moment. Essentially the most prestigious competition in club football. We are only attempting to soak all of it in.
‘We knew coming into the sport what was at stake. For those who can’t rise up for that, then you definitely can’t rise up for any game of football.
‘Once we went 1-0 up, I knew we were going to win. I could feel something special constructing.
‘Where this club has come from over the previous couple of years – things that hurt you as a player. The manager has taken full control.
‘Now we have kept constructing – we’ve got kept pushing one another. This competition and the Premier League. Now we have gone full throttle.
‘Now we have found ourselves in a very good position with lower than a month to go. Sunday now could be an enormous one.’
The opposite Champions League semi-final is finely poised after PSG beat Bayern Munich 5-4 of their home leg last week.
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