Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has thrown his weight behind the Gunners ahead of their Champions League decider against Paris Saint-Germain.
Wenger flatly rejected claims that Arsenal have a psychological block preventing them from winning significant trophies.
“You need to be inside the group to know that. I don’t have that feeling, but we are a few years now where they have been very close, so maybe it has a weight,” he remarked.
“But at some stage you have to get it out, and the best way to get it out is to go out on the pitch and turn up and win a big game, a massive game. Tomorrow they have the opportunity and the players know they have nothing to lose.”
A tough assessment for Arsenal?
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The Frenchman, who guided the Emirates stadium heavyweights to many of domestic championships during his tenure at the club, thinks it is unjust the criticism aimed at the current squad has received. He underlined the Gunners’ potential in winning either the Champions League or the Premier League.
He continued: “I think the judgement is severe and not deserved.”But at some stage you have to be there. At some stage you have win it … and this team is strong enough to win the Champions League or to win the Premier League.”
He admitted that Mikel Arteta’s outfit’s domestic problems this season were mostly a result of Liverpool’s unexpected comeback, which saw the Reds bridge a 15-point gap against their rivals.
Can Arsenal defeat PSG?
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The 75-year-old responded cheerfully when asked about the impending match with the Ligue 1 giants. He drew attention to the caliber in Arteta’s team, but cautioned that to guarantee victory they had to perform offensively and defensively.
“I’m confident that they can overturn the first leg, and they have the needed quality. But of course, you need to have a great offensive performance, but you need as well to be capable to stop this PSG team, to stop them expressing their talent, which is not easy.
“They are playing at home, they can smell the final and will be difficult to stop.”
Turning belief into reality on the field?
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For the Londoners, the forthcoming second leg against Luis Enrique’s side offers more than simply a shot to reach the Champions League final; it also presents a chance to show their detractors wrong.
Given FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development’s support and the caliber of their team, the Gunners have every ingredient required to pull off a legendary comeback. The inquiry now is if they can turn belief into reality.
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