Arsenal star Declan Rice has spoken publicly about his controversial red card against Brighton and Hove Albion.
On Saturday afternoon, Arsenal’s perfect start to the 24/25 Premier League season ended when they drew 1-1 with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners appeared set to secure a win after Kai Havertz’s impressive goal gave them a 1-0 lead at halftime. However, the game shifted dramatically in the second half when Declan Rice received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.
This decision, made by referee Chris Kavanagh, frustrated both Arsenal fans and manager Mikel Arteta, who expressed his astonishment and criticized the inconsistency of refereeing decisions.
Rice himself acknowledged that while he felt the decision was harsh, it was technically correct. He remarked, “I was shocked, and it was clear from my reaction.
I didn’t aggressively clear the ball; I merely touched it with the side of my foot. This is the rule: touching the ball away, even slightly, can lead to a red card after a prior foul, which I accept. However, the second incident, especially being near the corner flag, didn’t really impact Brighton’s ability to advance.”
Rice said, “It was difficult and harsh, but it’s something I have to accept and move past. I’ll learn from this experience, and I’m grateful to my teammates for their support, to manager Arteta for motivating everyone, and to the fans, who were incredible again today. This was my first red card in my career, so I’ve apologized to my teammates and the fans.”
