Declan Rice has spoken about how he became the "lighthouse" of the Arsenal midfield by watching the games of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. As the "Gunners" prepare for the Champions League final against PSG in Budapest, the England international aims to follow in the footsteps of great players and lead his team to the pinnacle of Europe. This is reported by Goal.com reports .
Mikel Arteta often uses unique phrases to describe his midfield general, calling Rice the team's "lighthouse." However, Rice views his development through the prism of a Premier League legend. In an interview with uefa.com, the 27-year-old admitted that he studies Gerrard's style of play and strives to influence the game on both ends of the pitch, just like the former Liverpool captain.
"Arteta has turned me into a well-rounded midfielder. I have heard Steven Gerrard's thoughts on his own game; he wanted to be a player who could do everything. I am the same: I can help the team in both attack and defense. If I need to drop back and support the defense, I do it; if I need to push forward, I join the attack," says Rice.
Having won the Premier League gold medals this season, Rice is now eyeing a historic double in Budapest. The midfielder emphasized that he is used to playing under high pressure and that this trait is common to all players in the current Arsenal squad. According to him, Arteta's unique approach and calling him a "lighthouse" have given the player extra confidence.
Rice is no stranger to the excitement of big finals. Although he won the Conference League as captain of West Ham in 2023, he has tasted defeat twice in European Championship finals and once in a League Cup final with England. The player considers these setbacks important lessons ahead of the match against Luis Enrique's PSG.
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