Manchester United legemd Rio Ferdinand has cast doubt over Arsenal’s chances of winning the Champions League, despite their impressive 7-1 victory against PSV.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners continue to be one of the most reliable teams in big matches, and their dominant win against PSV ahowed what can happen when teams go all out against them.
Although Arsenal has one foot in the quarter-finals after their commanding performance, Ferdinand remains unconvinced about their prospects of going all the way in the competition.
As the knockout stages progress, the Gunners will face significantly tougher opponents, and Ferdinand believes they may struggle to make it past the more established powerhouses in European football.
The 2008 Champions League winner pointed to the difficult side of the draw that Arsenal faces, which could see them up against formidable teams such as Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the next round.
Ferdinand, as quoted by The Daily Mail, stated, “I think they’re probably the fifth-best team in the Champions League on that side of the draw. They’re behind Liverpool, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal are the fifth-best team on that side of the draw. That’s mad.”
After going past FC Porto on penalty shootout last season’s round of 16, Arsenal got knocked out by Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will hope to get their league ambition back on track when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford.