Arsenal moved into the Champions League semi-finals after a tense 0-0 draw with Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium, and Declan Rice made clear that outside opinion meant little to the squad as the Premier League leaders turned attention towards Atletico Madrid and a crucial league trip to Manchester City.

The goalless second leg on Wednesday followed Kai Havertz’s late strike in Portugal, which delivered a 1-0 aggregate victory, while Leandro Trossard struck the frame of the goal late on in north London as both teams created few clear chances in a tight quarter-final tie.

Asked about any frustration with the display, Rice instead highlighted the scale of Arsenal’s achievement, saying: “Frustrating? No, we just got to the semi-final, positivity all the way,” before stressing that the opinion of the players and staff mattered more than any wider judgement of the performance.

Rice underlined that internal belief, stating: “Who cares what people think? All that matters is what this group think, what the manager thinks, and we’re in another semi-final. I’m delighted. We’ll keep going. Keep playing well. Keep getting over the line and bring it on. Bring on everything.”

Arsenal are now into Champions League semi-finals in consecutive seasons for the first time, and statistical records show this represents only their third and fourth appearances at this stage of the European Cup or Champions League era, following previous runs in the 2005-06 and 2008-09 campaigns.

The side’s defensive record at home in Europe continues to stand out, with Arsenal recording 13 clean sheets across 18 Champions League fixtures at the Emirates Stadium since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, at least five more shutouts on home turf than any other club during the same period.

That strength without the ball contributed to a cautious contest against Sporting CP, as the two legs produced little attacking threat, and the second match featured a combined expected goals figure of just 0.93, with 0.64 for Arsenal and 0.29 for Sporting CP, reflecting limited quality chances for either side.

According to competition data, that xG total is the lowest posted in any Champions League fixture this season and the smallest in a quarter-final since Barcelona faced Manchester United in April 2019, when the two teams generated only 0.68 expected goals overall in that tie.

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Arsenal’s clean sheet also offered a response after a difficult domestic run, where Mikel Arteta’s team lost three successive matches in English competitions, falling to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final, then to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and finally against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Arsenal Champions League charge alongside Premier League race

Those setbacks have brought increased scrutiny, which Rice addressed by saying: “Like being at any other top club, there’s noise with everything,” before acknowledging that pressure surrounds Arsenal every week regardless of form or result at this stage of the season.

Rice expanded on that view, adding: “This is Arsenal, there’s noise with every game. If you don’t play well, take it with a pinch of salt and keep moving. Bring on the last few weeks. It’s a rollercoaster. Nobody’s going to hand you anything in this game. Let’s keep going, and what will be, will be. Let’s keep going strong.”

Arsenal will meet Atletico Madrid in the last four, while also protecting a six-point advantage over Manchester City in the Premier League, though City hold one game in hand before hosting Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a contest that could define the title race.

Looking ahead to that visit, Rice made clear that Arsenal would not settle for a cautious approach, saying: “Of course, you have to win every game. We want to win every game in the Premier League. Our record this year has been amazing in all competitions. It’s why we play the game. It’s a game of football at the end of the day. [It’s about] how much you want it,so I know I’ll be ready, I know the boys will be ready, so let’s go.”

With Arsenal balancing a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid and a tight domestic battle with Manchester City, the squad’s defensive resilience, recent European record and Rice’s focus on internal standards shape the closing weeks of a season that still offers major targets on both fronts.