Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal’s domestic achievements will never carry full weight unless the club finally conquers Europe.
The Gunners ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title this season and now stand one game away from winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history when they face Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30.
However, Carragher insists Arsenal’s reputation on the global stage still falls short because of their lack of European success.
Writing in The Telegraph, the former Liverpool defender claimed Arsenal’s record of just two European trophies in nearly 140 years is not good enough for a club of their stature.
“For a club of Arsenal’s standing, possessing only two European trophies in nearly 140 years is embarrassing, especially given some of the extraordinary players and managers who have defined an otherwise rich history,” Carragher wrote.
“Achievements at home, regardless of how unprecedented or dominant, carry less weight if they are not elevated by European glory.
“No club can join the pantheon of Europe’s footballing legends without the greatest prize.
“Arsenal are a giant of English football, but they remain European minnows until they win the Champions League.”
Arsenal’s only continental honours remain the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994 — competitions that no longer exist.
Victory over defending champions PSG would completely reshape perceptions around Mikel Arteta’s side and elevate Arsenal into Europe’s elite clubs.
Carragher pointed to PSG as an example of how winning the Champions League can instantly transform a club’s reputation.
“Saturday’s opponents, PSG, are the most recent example of how a club is elevated after a European triumph,” he added.
“Until Luis Enrique’s victory last year, PSG had to accept the constant criticism that they were big fish in the smaller pond of French football.
“Arsenal’s best chance of victory, however, is to be the best version of Arsenal they can be. Trying to match PSG’s style will fail.”
After finally restoring Arsenal to the summit of English football, Arteta now has the opportunity to deliver the club’s greatest-ever season.
The Gunners head into the final full of confidence following their Premier League triumph and will hope to avoid a repeat of last season’s semifinal defeat to PSG, where the French champions progressed 3-1 on aggregate before lifting the trophy for the first time.
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