Declan Rice recalled how Chelsea ‘didn’t give him a chance’ 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 first team to book their place in 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 in the Spanish capital last week and Bukayo Saka poked home the decisive goal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Arsenal were beaten by eventual winners PSG in the semi-finals but have gone at least one better this season to reach their first Champions League final since 2006.
The Gunners, who are on for an incredible double as they also chase a first Premier League title in 22 years, will face either PSG or Bayern Munich in the May 30 final in Budapest.
Next up for Arsenal, though, is a crucial Premier League game against Rice’s former club West Ham, who are fighting hard to avoid relegation.
Asked about his mindset ahead of that game, Rice insisted he would not be where he is today without West Ham after being released by Chelsea’s academy at the age of 14.
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Rice does not intend to do the Hammers any favours, however, and says he is desperate to help Arsenal clinch a long-awaited Premier League title before attentions turn to the Champions League final.
‘That club gave me everything, without West Ham there’s no me,’ Rice told Prime Video after Arsenal’s victory over Atletico Madrid.
‘I honestly believe that. They gave me a chance when Chelsea didn’t. A lot 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 trying to win a Premier League title, we want to win every game and I’m sure they will want to as well so let the best team win.’
The full-time whistle was met by jubilant scenes inside the Emirates Stadium and Rice revealed the celebrations continued in the dressing room.
‘It is chaos in there,’ the England midfielder added. ‘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.
‘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.
‘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. 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 other Champions League semi-final is finely poised after PSG beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in their home leg last week.
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