{"id":4823,"date":"2026-05-06T12:21:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T12:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4823"},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T12:21:30","slug":"rice-takes-swipe-at-chelsea-following-champions-league-semi-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4823","title":{"rendered":"Rice takes swipe at Chelsea following Champions League semi win"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Emirates Stadium was absolutely rocking on Tuesday night as Arsenal finally qualified for the Champions League final.
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Securing a tense 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid, and a 2-1 aggregate win overall, the Gunners have officially booked their ticket to their first Champions League final in an agonisingly long 20 years.<\/p>\n

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While the entire red half of North London was busy celebrating the historic achievement, star midfielder Declan Rice used his post-match platform to deliver a thinly veiled dig at his former boyhood club, Chelsea.<\/p>\n

Fresh off being named the undisputed Man of the Match, the midfield enforcer didn\u2019t hold back when reflecting on his long, winding journey to the absolute pinnacle of European football.<\/p>\n

Declan Rice takes swipe at Chelsea<\/h2>\n

\u2018That club gave me everything, without West Ham there\u2019s no me,\u2019<\/em> Rice told Prime Video after Arsenal\u2019s victory over Atletico Madrid, as reported by Metro.<\/p>\n

\u2018I honestly believe that. They gave me a chance when Chelsea didn\u2019t. A lot of people there really pushed me on so it\u2019s not nice to see the position they\u2019re in.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018But it\u2019s football and I\u2019ve got a job to do on Sunday. We\u2019re trying to win a Premier League title, we want to win every game and I\u2019m sure they will want to as well so let the best team win.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Letting him slip through their fingers is now looking like a historically massive mistake for the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, a major blunder they will desperately want to avoid repeating with other academy prospects in the future.<\/p>\n

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Declan Rice\u2019s game by numbers vs. Atletico Madrid:<\/p>\n

100% successful take-ons
75 touches
62 passes attempted
56 passes completed
28 carries
8 passes into the final third
6 ground duels contested
5 ground duels won
3 progressive carries<\/p>\n

Outstanding on the big stage again.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/orMmwJSulw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Gunners star could make history this season<\/h2>\n

As Chelsea continue to sift through their managerial mess and domestic struggles, Rice and Arsenal are packing their bags for Budapest.<\/p>\n

They will face either German giants Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the grand finale, standing just 90 minutes away from lifting the most prestigious trophy in club football.<\/p>\n

Surely Rice will be among the top contenders to win the Premier League Player of the season award, as well as PFA Player of the year award if the Gunners end up winning the league.<\/p>\n

Some are even including him in the Ballon d\u2019Or conversation and why not if the Gunners win the Premier League and the Champions League?<\/p>\n

Arsene Wenger highlights decisive factor in Arsenal\u2019s win vs Atletico Madrid<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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