“Arsenal will win Champions League but only if Mikel Arteta do this…”: Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has backed Arsenal to win Champions League this but only ‘if Arteta do this’
Arsenal came within 15 minutes of winning the UEFA Champions League in Saint-Denis years ago, but this season might be Arsenal’s moment at long last.
That’s according to former striker Thierry Henry, who said that Mikel Arteta’s side have the potential to lift the trophy for the first time in the club’s history this season.
“Yes, they can, I believe it, that’s why I called it,” said Henry after the Gunners crushed PSV 7-1 in the opening leg of the last 16.
At the same time, the club’s record goalscorer issued a challenge to his former team, saying:
“Show us that you can do that against a good team,” added Henry, who believed playing away from home would be difficult for the North Londoners in Eindhoven.
“This game can help maybe to be confident in this competition”, Henry concluded after their emphatic victory this week.
Barring an epic collapse at the Emirates Stadium next week, Arsenal will make the quarter-finals and face a formidable opponent, either Atlético Madrid or the reigning champions Real Madrid.
Many people, including Henry, believe that the Premier League race is over as Liverpool currently have a 13-point cushion over Arsenal in the table, though the Gunners have one game in hand.
The 1998 World Cup champion with Les Bleus thinks an emphatic victory like the Gunners’ had on Tuesday could give them the confidence needed to win this competition.
Henry nearly won the Champions League with the Gunners during Arsène Wenger’s lengthy tenure as manager, with Arsenal losing the 2005-06 final to Barcelona 2-1.
Arsenal were ahead in that match until the 76th minute before Barça netted twice at the Stade de France in four minutes.
The Gunners made the Champions League quarter-finals last season, losing to Bayern Munich.
