Arteta Reveals What Sparked Declan Rice's Explosive Confrontation With Arsenal Coach
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the disagreement between Declan Rice and one of the club's coaching staff following the Carabao Cup triumph against Chelsea has been settled.
A challenging 3–2 victory over Chelsea positioned Arsenal strongly for reaching the final of the season's opening domestic tournament, though observant supporters noticed a tense exchange between Rice and coach Albert Stuivenberg in the tunnel area.
What Occurred Between Declan Rice and the Arsenal Coach?
What Occurred Between Declan Rice and the Arsenal Coach?
An visibly agitated Rice was observed making animated gestures and raising his voice at Stuivenberg while the squad was getting ready to exit the tunnel, with the coach's attempt to step forward failing to create enough space to ease the tension.
Center-back Gabriel was compelled to intervene in the confrontation, acting as a mediator by positioning himself between Rice and Stuivenberg in an effort to defuse the conflict.
The Daily Mail consulted lip-reading specialist Jeremy Freeman about the footage, who suggested Rice instructed Stuivenberg to "just go," before informing Gabriel that the coach "does not know what he's on about."
Gabriel advised Rice to "calm down" and the incident eventually subsided.
Arteta Addresses Unpleasant Incident
Arteta Addresses Unpleasant Incident
Before Sunday's fixture against Nottingham Forest, Arteta was questioned about the incident.
"Everything's resolved, all fine," Arteta stated while trying to keep details private.
When pushed further about the matter and whether it demonstrated Rice's drive for success, Arteta responded: "Absolutely, and the positive aspect is that when I learned about the issue it had already been resolved, which is excellent."
Arteta's connection with Stuivenberg dates back years to when both were pursuing their coaching qualifications. Following experience with youth programs at Feyenoord and the Netherlands national team, Stuivenberg became Louis van Gaal's assistant at Manchester United in 2014.
Following two seasons in that position, Stuivenberg served one year as Genk's head coach before returning to an assistant role with Wales, and he is now in his seventh season at Arsenal.