Declan Rice reveals he walked laps of training ground during Arsenal's title-decider
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice admitted he could not watch the Manchester City game that secured the Gunners their first Premier League title in 22 years, opting for nervous laps instead.
Photo: goal.com
While most of the Arsenal squad remained glued to screens at London Colney, Declan Rice dealt with the pressure of the title race in a very different way. The midfielder revealed that as the decisive Manchester City game unfolded, he found the nerves too overwhelming to watch.
I took the security guard, Pete, the first 40 minutes we walked every pitch possible. We were just chatting about the most random stuff. And then we hear the roar, so we come back in for the first goal. I was like, same again. And then literally come back in five minutes to go and it was done, but I just couldn't watch it. Declan Rice
Teammate Bukayo Saka described the ritual as hilarious, estimating that Rice completed around 12 laps of the training facility to keep his cool. For Rice, winning the league is a deeply emotional milestone after three years of narrow misses with the club.
Following the confirmation of the title, the celebrations spilled over to the Emirates Stadium, where players met with fans late into the night. This marks the club's first top-flight crown in 22 years. The squad now turns its attention to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30.