Arsenal host Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Gunners will be hoping to tighten their grip on a top-eight finish in the inaugural league phase of the European competition.
They currently sit third, two points behind Barcelona and five points behind leaders Liverpool, with two games remaining.
Mikel Arteta has received an injury boost ahead of the clash against the Croatian giants, with Ethan Nwaneri, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori all nearing returns.
However, none of these four are expected to be available to face Zagreb, in what will be a stern test against a side that will be buoyed by the arrival of a new manager.
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Arsene Wenger claimed Thierry Henry should’ve won Ballon d’Or over Fabio Cannavaro
Expected to win the Croatian top flight year-on-year, Zagreb are currently enduring a dismal season domestically.
They sit third, seven points adrift of league leaders Rijeka, and they subsequently parted ways with manager Nenad Bjelica last month.
Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro has been appointed as Bjelica’s successor, and the trip to the Emirates will be the former defender’s first game in charge.
Cannavaro has a history of competing with Arsenal, beating Thierry Henry to the Ballon d’or back in 2006.
The Gunners’ striker came third, while the centre-back claimed the accolade after winning the World Cup with Italy and Serie A with Juventus.
Speaking to the Guardian prior to the award ceremony in 2006, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger claimed Cannavaro beating Henry to the Ballon d’Or would be unjust.
“Congratulations to Cannavaro if that’s the case but for me there’s only one candidate this year and that’s Thierry Henry,” he said.
“He just deserves it. He was the top goalscorer in England, the best player in England, the second-highest goalscorer in Europe behind Luca Toni.
“He played in the Champions League final and he played in the World Cup final. He lost one on penalties and he lost the other in the last few minutes with 10 men.
“Overall I don’t think the fact that a team wins on penalties can make such a difference.
“When you look at what this guy has achieved in his career as a player, I can tell you there are some players in the Ballon d’Or who have a lot to answer for when you compare them to Thierry Henry.”
Despite Cannavaro’s achievements in 2006, Wenger claimed there was only one other player who could compete with Henry, and that wasn’t the World Cup winner.
“The only one in contention with [Henry] this year was [Samuel] Eto’o, who won the Champions League and the Spanish championship. He has more than Thierry but for overall achievement Thierry has done exceptionally well.”
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Henry should’ve won the 2006 Ballon d’Or
Arsenal have been urged to sign a striker that compares to Henry in recent times, and there’s no doubt that the 2006 iteration of the iconic player would be the difference for Arteta’s current team.
The Frenchman enjoyed a blistering year back then, netting 41 goals for club and country, leading Arsenal to the Champions League final and Les Blues to the World Cup final.
While he was unable to get over the line and claim either piece of silverware, he was the talisman in both teams and thus Wenger’s claim that he was more deserving of the Ballon d’Or than Cannavaro is certainly valid.
Arsenal beat Juventus on the way to the Champions League final, with Henry netting in the tie, outshining his Ballon d’Or contending counterpart in club football’s most celebrated competition.
Cannavaro’s exploits for Juventus and Italy were undoubtedly important, but Henry was the single driving force in leading Arsenal and France to the brink of glory.
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