Rice makes honest Arsenal admission with Champions League hopes in the balance

22 February 2024 , 08:55

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Declan Rice spoke out after Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Porto (Image: Arsenal)

Declan Rice admitted Arsenal have "a lot to learn" after Porto dealt them a sucker punch in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Arsenal are 1-0 down on aggregate after Galeno scored a stunning late winner in the 94th minute on Wednesday. And after a frustrating encounter against savvy European veterans, Rice accepted lessons had to be taken on board.

"So frustrating," he told club media following the defeat. "We worked really hard, prepared really well. Obviously it wasn't meant to be in terms of the way we created the chances tonight. After the start of 2024 we had, there's a lot to learn, a lot to take from tonight.

"I think that's a real positive, obviously to concede late is a real kick in the teeth but positive is it's half-time in two legs. We've got the home leg now, which we're going to be fully up for with our fans, and have that goal to reach the quarter final."

Rice then issued a rallying cry to Arsenal supporters, insisting his team-mates will need all the backing they can get to overturn the slender deficit. He added: "We'll need absolutely everyone. The Emirates is going to be rocking.

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"We feel that when it's like that at our stadium it's obviously one of the best places in the world to play football so we'll be ready for it. I'm already looking forward to it and fans get right behind us. We'll need everyone."

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, was not happy with his side's performance after they failed to muster a single shot on target. "We have to manage much better," Arteta told TNT Sports after the match.

Galeno scored a late winner for Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Arsenal (Getty Images)

"We cannot win with the way we handled the ball on three occasions in deep areas. If you want to be in the quarter-finals you have to beat your opponent and this is what we will have to do at the Emirates now.

"We lacked threat. We lacked aggression, especially with the ball in the final third. We can do better. I think it's a team [Porto] that's very well-organised defensively and they break your rhythm all the time.

"There are certain things we will have to do much better, we know what to expect. We couldn't even touch anybody because everything was a free kick. We will learn from that, prepare better, and go and do it."

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Matthew Cooper