Declan Rice vows Arsenal will hunt harder next season after Champions League heartbreak

Arsenal's midfield engine Declan Rice isn't dwelling on what went wrong in Budapest. Instead, he's already looking ahead—and he's making it clear the Gunners aren't done chasing trophies.

PSG kept their European title after a penalty shootout that'll sting for a while. Gabriel Magalhães stepped up to take what would've been the winning spot kick and missed, sending the final to the French club. Brutal way to lose, honestly. But Rice and the squad made a point of celebrating their Premier League crown back in north London, refusing to let one loss define their season.

"We're coming back for more," Rice said, and he sounded like he meant it. The Arsenal midfielder's confidence isn't exactly unfounded—Mikel Arteta's built something real here. This was their first Champions League final since 2006, and they got there by grinding through the competition week after week. No luck involved. Just steady, relentless improvement.

Arteta kept the group together mentally after the loss. According to Rice, the manager "told us he loves us all, to keep our heads up." That's the kind of message a squad needs right after a penalty loss. Could've been doom and gloom. Instead, it was about next year.

What makes this even more annoying for Arsenal is the history: they've played more Champions League games than any other club without winning it. That stat's been hanging over them for years. Getting to a final and losing on penalties doesn't erase the progress, but it definitely adds to the frustration.

Still, Rice's tone suggests this group believes they'll be back. The Premier League trophy helped—winning the league is a massive deal, and they did it in style. But Champions League glory is clearly the next target. With Arteta's system clicking and the squad hungry after tasting a final, don't be surprised if Arsenal go further next season. The talent's there. The mentality seems right. They just need the luck to go their way when it matters.