Despite the "cruel" nature of the defeat, Rice believes the trajectory of the club is clear. Under Arteta's guidance, Arsenal have evolved from quarter-finalists to finalists in short order. The midfielder revealed that the manager's post-match message was one of love and pride, urging the players not to let one night in Hungary define their journey.
"The emotions and the stakes are so high. It's cruel. [Arteta] spoke about how much he loves us as a the group. How we've given 100 per cent every single game with everything that's been thrown at us," Rice explained. "This is only the start for us. We got over the line in the Premier League, this would've been one step further but it wasn't to be. We keep building. Since I came to the club it was a quarter-final exit, then semi-final and now final. We keep going and keep staying positive. This isn't going to define us."