Declan Rice mocks ‘celebration police’ after Arsenal win vs PSV
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has poked fun at pundits like Jamie Carragher after his teammates have previously been criticised for over-celebrating.
Arsenal confirmed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals, following a 2-2 draw on the night, and 9-3 aggregate win against PSV Eindhoven.
The Gunners will now face off against Real Madrid, who snuck through against their city rivals, Atletico Madrid, thanks to a bizarre disallowed penalty against former Man City man Julian Alvarez.
A 7-1 victory in the first-leg allowed Arsenal to coast through against the Dutch side, with Mikel Arteta resting a number of key players ahead of their game against Chelsea on Sunday (16 March).
Declan Rice makes light-hearted post after PSV draw
Following the draw, Rice posted a photo of himself celebrating his goal against PSV, captioned: “No celebration police tonight.”
Arsenal have been criticised on a number of occasions for their perceived over-celebration of wins.
Rice was recently criticised for celebrating during a 1-1 draw with Man United, and last season the Gunners were slammed by pundits after a 3-1 win over Liverpool.
| Match stats | Arsenal | PSV |
| Possession | 51% | 49% |
| Shots (on target) | 9 (7) | 13 (5) |
| Expected goals | 1.25 | 1.48 |
| Big chances (missed) | 5 (4) | 2 (0) |
| Corners | 5 | 4 |
Carragher was especially critical after the win in February 2024, when Martin Odegaard took a club photographer’s camera to snap a shot after the victory.
The three points were crucial at the time, even though the Gunners failed to keep pace with a dominant Man City side.
Despite celebrating his goal against the Dutch side, Arsenal players instead went over to Raheem Sterling to celebrate with the Chelsea loanee, showing support for their teammate who has struggled this season.
Mikel Arteta given an opportunity to prove his metal against Real Madrid
Football Insider Verdict
There is no tougher task in football than a meeting with Real Madrid in the Champions League.
However, it is likely one that Arteta will relish, having seen his side fade miserably from the Premier League title challenge with Liverpool.
The Gunners are gaining notoriety under the Spaniard’s stewardship as perennial underachievers, with the club set to finish second in the league, for a third successive season.
Whilst Madrid will undoubtedly be the heavy favourites, Arsenal will have the benefit of playing the second-leg at home, thanks to finishing as a higher seed in the league stage.
If ever there was a time for Arteta to prove he can be the man to take the North London club to the next level, it will be when they face the 15-time winners of Europe’s most esteemed competition.