Arsenal star Declan Rice spoke in a press statement after qualifying for the Champions League final, following a 1-0 victory in the second leg against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium, noting that the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw.

The coach said, "It's a wonderful night to experience this moment with the players and everyone at the club. It's an incredible feeling. Everything we do and what we've been through makes it all worthwhile, and I see many happy and proud faces with what we are achieving."

He added: "From the beginning, it was unbelievable. The fans were waiting for us outside the stadium. The energy and passion they showed were amazing, so it was great to win this match."

Regarding the role of the fans, he said: "Certainly, they are the ones who set the standards, and we are trying to catch up with them. We struggled for many years to bring back this happiness and pride in their eyes, and it was beautiful to see it."

Arteta also spoke about what impressed him the most: "The unity within the team. It was difficult to make some decisions, and I feel a lot for the players, they are truly wonderful people. I spoke with some of them this afternoon and apologized to them, telling them I would stick with the same lineup, and their immediate response was: We are here when you need us, coach, and they hugged me."

Regarding the winning goal scored by Bukayo Saka, he said: "It had to be a special player, and he is indeed special to me, to the players, and to the club. If anyone was going to score that goal, it was likely going to be him."