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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Ed Aarons in Paris

‘No fear’: Rice rejects Rooney criticism and sets sights on Arsenal comeback

Declan Rice before an Arsenal press conference ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg match against Paris Saint-Germain
Declan Rice is adamant Arsenal can make the Champions League final with a result against PSG at the Parc des Princes. Photograph: David Price/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Declan Rice has rejected Wayne Rooney’s claim that Arsenal have a “psychological fear” of winning trophies and insisted they are capable of overturning a one-goal deficit against Paris Saint-Germain to reach the Champions League final.

Mikel Arteta’s side were criticised by the former England forward after losing the first leg 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium last week after an early goal from Ousmane Dembélé, with Rooney stating in his role as a pundit for Amazon that Arsenal are “used to getting to a certain stage of the season and things fall away”. But having already beaten PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid away in the knockout stages this season, Rice was adamant that they have the belief to get past PSG after their comfortable 2-0 victory against Luis Enrique’s side in the group stage back in October.

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