Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that if Arsenal can overcome one challenge this season then it will help them for years to come.
The next week could make or break this season for Arsenal.
On Sunday, the Gunners will welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium for an all-important Premier League clash. Arsenal are currently sat at the top of the Premier League table, but are only ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City by the slimmest of margins.
If the North London club are to be crowned champions this season, then Mikel Arteta will know that his side can scarcely afford to drop a single point between now and the end of the campaign. This will be a tough ask, though, as the data suggests that Arsenal face a tougher run-in than Manchester City or Liverpool.
How Arsenal must approach Bayern Munich clash
On Wednesday, Arsenal will travel to Germany to contest the second-leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich. The game will kick-off at the Allianz Arena with the aggregate score already level at 2-2 following Tuesday night’s stalemate at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta will feel that his team ought to have won the first-leg, but nerves and inexperience at that level cost them as a couple of uncharacteristic defensive lapses were punished.
Ben White was the only Arsenal defender who looked calm and composed in the first half against the German giants on Tuesday. If the Gunners are to get the result they need in Munich then the whole team will have to be far more assured and confident from the off.
Of course, that is easier said than done, especially when factoring in just how few members of Arteta’s squad have any real past Champions League experience to speak of. Arsenal have not competed at this stage in Europe’s Elie club competition for 14 years.
Jamie Carragher considers Arsenal future in the Champions League
Jamie Carragher recognises what it would mean to the North London outfit to overcome Bayern Munich and reach the semi-finals. Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, the pundit said, “this is the first year that they’re in the Champions League…that was a great learning curve, the last round. Porto are a team you’d expect them to beat but they found it tough.”
“Europe is different, and it does things to you…[against Bayern] they ground it out, they got themselves back into it…going to Munich, it’s going to be tough for them. It’s going to be another big experience, but if they can come through that, that will be absolutely massive for them. Not just this season, in terms of going forward. Because Arsenal will be a team who will continuously be in the Champions League for the next four or five years.”
Beating Bayern Munich over two legs would certainly represent major progress for Arsenal and would provide an enormous confidence boost, and would cement their return to the top table of European football.
READ MORE: Arsenal’s possible route to 2023/24 Champions League final
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