Declan Rice praises Arsenal’s fiery win over Napoli

Arsenal secured a vital 1-0 win away in Naples on Wednesday night to kick off their 2026-27 Champions League campaign with a fifth successive win of the season. Declan Rice was pleased with the Gunners’ display, which saw them pass the ball around the pitch with poise despite temperatures in the south of Italy hovering around 30 degrees.

The game’s only goal came in the 75th minute, as a moment of composure from the Gunners’ midfield led to Martin Odegaard netting a fourth goal of the campaign, having been plagued by fitness problems during an otherwise fine season.

While Rice believes a more clinical display from Arsenal would have seen them score more than the once this season, he was delighted with the way his teammates had drawn out the passes to break down a stubborn Napoli defence in such searing heat – a condition he says he has not encountered since joining the club.

He was also full of praise for the contribution of Odegaard, who has proven to be a crucial influence for the Gunners since returning to full fitness, feeling that a player of his calibre has the ability to lift a whole team when he is performing at his best – a prospect Rice and his teammates will be looking to in the coming weeks as they prepare to enter the busier period of their campaign.

The win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona marks a landmark win for the travelling supporters, having beaten a side that rarely loses at home in Europe. It also provides a timely pick-me-up for Arsenal, who will be looking to build on their success in the Champions League as they face a series of challenging group fixtures against Bayern Munich, Slavia Prague and Real Betis.

Asked about the importance of the win at such a venue early in the campaign, Rice said: “Momentum is key,” adding that with five wins from five, the Gunners will be looking to build on their success as they face the next European tie.