Paul Merson now gives honest verdict on Arsenal’s Champions League chances

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Arsenal make their long-awaited return to the Champions League tonight, and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Gunners’ chances in the competition.

Arsenal last appeared in the Champions League in 2017, and have not progressed beyond the round of 16 since 2010.

Although Arsenal qualified for the competition for nearly 20 consecutive years under Arsene Wenger, there was more heartbreak than success in the Champions League, but having returned under Mikel Arteta, it will be exciting to see how far this side can progress.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, former Arsenal striker Paul Merson claimed that Arteta’s side will be the biggest threat to holders Manchester City amongst all the teams in the competition, who he claims are the favourites to beat anyone over two legs in the knockout rounds.

“I think the danger would be the Arsenal, I would say. I just think Arsenal’s group’s a good group,” he stated.

“I think when it gets down to the nitty-gritty, over one leg I just think that would be their own Achilles heel, Man City, because anything can happen in 90 minutes.”

Arsenal’s chances in the Champions League

Although Arsenal have been handed a somewhat favourable group in PSV Eindhoven, Sevilla and RC Lens, avoiding the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, they will know better than to take anything for granted in Europe.

Arsenal’s poor record in Europe over the years may come back to haunt this young side, although the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kai Havertz and Jorginho have all played in a final before.

If Arsenal make the knockout rounds, they may fancy their chances against Europe’s biggest clubs a lot more than the sides of old did. When Arsenal would face Bayern and Barcelona a decade ago, the likes of Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben would terrorise Arsene Wenger’s sides.

Now, Arsenal have their own superstars in Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, and many of Europe’s top clubs will want to avoid facing Arteta’s side as much as Arsenal would want to avoid them. If the Gunners can perform to their full capability against tough opposition, then they can fancy their chances at reaching the latter stages of the competition.