Declan Rice clearly reveals his goal after leading Arsenal to defeat Sporting Lisbon and reach the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semifinals.
On 16 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Declan Rice, the English midfielder, disclosed his ambitions after leading Arsenal, the prominent Premier League club managed by Spanish coach Miguel Arteta, to overcome Sporting Lisbon, a leading team from Portugal's Primeira Liga, and advance to the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semifinals.
The Emirates Stadium powerhouse made history after 140 years by reaching the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the first time in two consecutive seasons. They surpassed Sporting Lisbon with a 1-0 aggregate score over two legs, setting up a semifinal clash against Atlético Madrid, known as "Los Colchoneros."
Declan Rice stated, "I am very happy to have reached the semifinals for two consecutive seasons. It's a great achievement. But this year, we want to go one step further and make it to the final to compete for the championship. As for our semifinal opponent Atlético Madrid, they are a good team, and I believe we will achieve a positive result."