Noni Madueke and Declan Rice took aim at Arsenal's detractors during the Premier League title celebrations on Sunday, dismissing them as 'jealous' after the Gunners secured their first league crown in 22 years.
Arsenal's Historic Season
The Gunners finished the Premier League campaign seven points clear of Manchester City, ending a long drought. However, the season ended on a sour note with a Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, losing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Celebrations Despite Setback
Undeterred, the Arsenal squad returned to north London for a title parade on Sunday, drawing an estimated 750,000 to one million fans, according to Sky News. The open-top bus tour saw massive crowds lining the streets.
Rival fans attempted to dampen the mood after the Champions League loss, but Madueke and Rice were having none of it. The England winger posted a picture with Rice on Instagram with the caption: 'Champions! Whilst others are tweeting and posting ? Thank you God. The glory is yours!' Rice replied: 'Jealousy everywhere ?????'
Rice's Warning to Rivals
During the parade, Rice, a former West Ham midfielder, sent a clear message: 'I love this team, I love this manager. To see the joy we can give people it's crazy. Next year we're coming back for more. Lock in or get locked out.'
Criticism of Arsenal's Style
Arsenal's playing style has faced scrutiny, with Gary Lineker suggesting PSG's victory was a win for football. He said on The Rest is Football: 'Looking at the game as a fan with no skin in the game, I think Arsenal had to play that way because they wouldn't have beaten PSG any other way, but at the same time I think football won. There's nothing wrong with playing defensively, but football is entertainment and you want to see teams that are positive, creative, and play wonderful football.'
Manchester United legend Alex Ferguson also criticized Arsenal's approach while praising PSG. Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the need for more fluency but cited squad availability issues: 'We have had many more players than last season but not all of them in that condition for different reasons.'
Summer Changes Ahead
Arteta hinted at significant summer changes, urging the club to make 'very important decisions' to reach the next level. 'We'll start to make some very important decisions. We want to reach another level. We're going to have to show that ambition because they are more than capable of doing it, but it's going to demand us to be very, very ambitious, very fast, and very smart.'
