Rice and Odegaard send clear message ahead of Atletico v Arsenal
Rice and Odegaard send clear message ahead of Atletico v Arsenal Rice and Odegaard want Arsenal to embrace the pressure in Madrid as they chase a place in the Champions League final and a first European crown. Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have issued a clear message before Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid , telling Mikel Arteta ’s side to embrace the pressure, use their recent disappointments and seize the chance to make history. Arsenal travel to Madrid looking to move closer to only their second Champions League final, and their first since the 2006 defeat to Barcelona .
Rice wants Arsenal to confront that history rather than hide from it, with the midfielder urging his team-mates to treat the scale of the occasion as a privilege rather than a burden. “We’ve played in tough games in the last three or four years at the highest level, so we know what to expect and what’s to come,” the midfielder said. “That’s what it’s been all season, and that’s what we want it to be towards the end of the season.
We’re Champions League semi-finalists; let’s embrace it, enjoy it and bring it on. ” Odegaard struck a similar note, accepting that Arsenal will continue to face questions until they turn their progress into silverware. The captain, who is still waiting for a major trophy after five years at the club, said the squad were in position to change the conversation.
“It’s always going to be there until we win and that’s something you have to live with,” Odegaard said. “We need to take all our experiences and the lessons and use them in a good way. It’s part of football and part of the journey.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images “Against Atlético is another great opportunity for us to do something special. We know what’s there and we just have to enjoy it and be ready for it. “We’re in a great position to make history and that’s what we want to do.