Gunners’ Record-Breaking Win Sparks Belief They Can Conquer Europe, Says Club Legend
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has declared that his former club’s stunning 7-1 demolition of PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last 16 could be the catalyst for a deep run in the competition. The Gunners delivered a historic performance on Tuesday night, becoming the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals in an away leg of a knockout match.
The emphatic victory, which saw six different players find the net, has reignited belief that Arsenal can challenge Europe’s elite, despite their injury woes and lack of a recognized striker. Goals from Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard (twice), Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori sealed a near-unassailable lead ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Henry, who won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009, believes the result will give Mikel Arteta’s side the confidence to believe they can go all the way. “Yes, they can,” Henry said on CBS Sports Golazo when asked if Arsenal could compete with the likes of Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. “This is why I called it. I’m just saying now, show us that you can do that against a good team, with people that are coming back.”
The Frenchman acknowledged the quality of PSV but emphasized the importance of Arsenal’s dominant display. “No disrespect to Eindhoven, I really thought it was going to be difficult, especially away from home, but they made it look easy. I think they had an outstanding game, as you can see with the result.”
With the Premier League title race all but over in favor of Liverpool, Arsenal’s focus has shifted to the Champions League as their last chance for silverware this season. Despite their progress under Arteta, the Gunners have only won one FA Cup during his tenure and have fallen short in the league in recent years. However, Henry believes this result could be a turning point.
“This game can help them be confident in this competition,” he said. “But we all know that the [Premier] League is over, unless something crazy happens. What I’m trying to say is that this game can help them be confident, not just for the next round but for the game after, against Real Madrid or Atletico. If you want to win the competition, you have to go through these teams.”
Arteta, meanwhile, expressed his delight at his team’s performance, describing it as a “special night” that has given his players a significant boost. “I really enjoyed the match. Thank you to the players for the performance they put in,” he said. “It was a big night for us against a really good side. The manner in which we’ve done it, the way we played, the goals we scored—it’s given us a lot of joy, confidence, and belief.”
The Arsenal manager also highlighted the unpredictable nature of football, joking that even he couldn’t have predicted such a result. “Nobody in this room, if I gave you an envelope and said, ‘Can you predict what’s going to happen tomorrow and who is going to score?’ would have predicted that. That’s the beauty of football.”
As Arsenal prepare for a likely quarter-final clash with either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, the Gunners will draw inspiration from their historic win in Eindhoven. With belief growing and confidence soaring, Arteta’s side now have their sights set on ending their 20-year wait for a Champions League final appearance—and perhaps even lifting the trophy for the first time in their history.
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