Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has apologized to his teammates and the club’s supporters following his red card in Arsenal’s home draw against Brighton, which marked the first time the Gunners have lost points this season. Rice, who had already been cautioned in the first half, was dismissed by referee Chris Kavanagh for allegedly delaying a free-kick that Brighton’s Joel Veltman was attempting to take deep in their own half.
The red card has been controversial among pundits and Arsenal fans, many of whom felt the decision was excessive. They argued that Rice made only minimal contact with the ball while it was still moving, and the situation in the match did not justify such a penalty.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his dissatisfaction but did not challenge the referee’s decision directly. He did, however, call for consistency from Kavanagh, pointing out that Brighton’s Joao Pedro was not penalized for a similar action earlier in the match.
After the match, Rice shared his reaction: “You could see from my expression that I was surprised. The referee made his call… I didn’t aggressively confront him or kick the ball away; I merely touched it with the side of my foot.
According to the rules, even a slight touch can lead to a red card, especially given my earlier challenge, which I admit was a close call.”
Rice further reflected on the situation: “The second incident, particularly as it occurred near the corner flag where Brighton couldn’t advance, seemed particularly harsh. I need to move on, learn from this experience, and improve. I also want to acknowledge the players for their efforts, the manager for his motivation, and the fans who were once again outstanding today. That’s my perspective on it.”
The situation is compounded for Arsenal as Rice will miss their next match, a crucial local derby against Tottenham after the international break. Additionally, new signing Mikel Merino is also injured, creating a significant gap in midfield for Arteta.
Despite the setback, Rice remained optimistic, saying, “We’ll keep pushing forward. It’s tough, not just for me but for everyone. We have a challenging set of games ahead after the international break, but we’ll be ready.”
He analyzed the incident further: “This is my first red card of my career, so I want to apologize to my teammates, which I’ve already done, and to the fans. Getting sent off is never easy, and I feel a sense of guilt. Fortunately, my teammates stepped up, and we didn’t lose the game. I’ll learn from this and truly value the fans’ continued support. Red cards are not typical for me, so I’ll work on improving.”
Rice ended on a hopeful note: “I’ll definitely return. I have faith in this group of players, including myself, and I know we all share the same goal of achieving success.”
