Declan Rice Dismisses Rooney’s Doubts, Eyes Arsenal Comeback Against PSG
Declan Rice has firmly pushed back against Wayne Rooney’s recent criticism, rejecting the notion that Arsenal suffer from a “psychological fear” of winning major trophies. The England midfielder remains confident that Mikel Arteta’s team can overturn a 1-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain and reach the Champions League final.
Rooney, speaking in his capacity as a pundit for Amazon, criticized Arsenal following their narrow defeat in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium. The only goal of that match came early, courtesy of PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé. Rooney suggested that Arsenal have a tendency to falter at the business end of the season, implying a mental block when it comes to securing silverware.
Rice, however, dismissed the former England striker’s claim and pointed to Arsenal’s impressive European campaign. The Gunners have already secured crucial away victories over PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid during the knockout rounds. In addition, they defeated PSG 2-0 in the group stage back in October, giving them added belief heading into the return leg in Paris.
As they prepare for the second leg, Mikel Arteta is expected to tweak his midfield setup, with Thomas Partey likely to take up a deeper role to provide greater balance and defensive stability.
With confidence high and a proven track record of results away from home, Rice and his teammates remain focused on making a statement in Paris and booking their spot in the Champions League final.
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