New audio has revealed Declan Rice‘s immediate protest following his controversial red card against Brighton.
The Arsenal midfielder received his marching orders before the international break after two bookable offenses. His first caution was for a hard challenge, but it was the second yellow card that sparked outrage.
During an exchange with Brighton’s Joel Veltman, Rice lightly nudged the ball away, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to issue the second yellow, leading to his dismissal.
The incident’s audio, released as part of the “Match Officials Mic’d Up” series, sheds light on the referee’s thought process. “I have no choice, he knocks the ball away,” Kavanagh stated at the time. He continued, “He’s put me in an awful position. You did kick the ball away, you did. Dec, you need to go. I don’t like it, but he’s knocked the ball. Dec, you need to go, I am afraid.”
Rice immediately responded to Kavanagh’s claim, insisting, “No, I didn’t.” Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also expressed his frustration, calling the decision “a joke.”
After the game, Rice remained adamant about his innocence. “I was shocked; I think you could see it in my face. He’s obviously gone over… I’ve not sprinted back in front of him and smashed the ball away. I’ve touched the ball with the outside of my foot,” he explained. Despite his frustration, he acknowledged the rules: “But look, this is the laws of the game. If you touch the ball away, even a little bit, it’s a red card after my first-half challenge, which I fully accept was a 50-50 that I didn’t win.”
Rice continued, “The second half one, especially with it being near the corner flag, they can’t really progress from there. It was tough, it was harsh, but it’s one of those things. I have to move on, and I’ll be better for it. I can only praise the players for digging deep for me, and the manager and fans for their support.”
Despite his appeals, the red card was upheld, causing Rice to miss the crucial North London derby against Tottenham. His absence was not heavily felt, as Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over their fierce rivals.
Rice is set to make his return this week during a challenging stretch for the Gunners. Mikel Arteta’s side will face Atalanta in their Champions League opener on Thursday before taking on former title rivals Manchester City this weekend.
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