Arsenal’s nightmare Champions League draw as Barcelona and PSG await Gunners | Football | Sport
Arsenal could face a nightmare path to the Champions League final ahead of the draw being made at the end of this month. The north Londoners have shown formidable form in Europe this season, winning all seven of their league phase matches to date. They will be looking to protect their perfect record when they face Kairat in their final game before the knockout stages on Wednesday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side are sitting pretty at the top of the table and have already secured their progression to the knockout phase. It could be about to get much harder for the Gunners, though, with the draw expected to throw up some interesting match-ups. If things stay as they are, they would be presented with a very difficult path to the final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Arsenal will play a knockout play-off winner in the round of 16, with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund their projected potential opponents in a worst-case scenario.
If they manage to get through that fixture, they would likely face Barcelona or Chelsea in the quarter-finals. Liverpool, Manchester City or reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain could await them in the semi-finals.
It means Arsenal will have no room for error once their knockout stage campaign begins, with Mikel Arteta hoping to deliver their first Champions League title this season.
Last time around, they reached the semi-final stage of the competition for the first time since 2009 but were beaten over two legs by eventual winners PSG.
Arsenal’s imperious form has seen them emerge as one of the favourites for the trophy this season, but another semi-final meeting with PSG could see history repeat itself.
Alan Shearer recently named the French giants as the only club with the ability to stop Arsenal from securing European glory at the end of the campaign.
Speaking after last week’s victory over Inter Milan, the former England striker said: “There is no doubt that this mob tonight, Arsenal, have got a really good chance of being there.
“But I just think because of what PSG did last year, the players that they have, I’m just going to edge it with PSG. But Arsenal won’t be far away.”
Shearer added: “I think with the confidence and the belief that Arsenal have, and you’ve seen with the turnover of players in terms of the squad and they still look a very, very strong team and a team capable of coming and winning.
“That will certainly help them in the moments ahead so, yeah, PSG and Arsenal [as the favourites to win the Champions League].”
