Arsenal are just one step away from reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The Gunners take on Sporting CP on Wednesday with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, and they will be confident of finishing the job. If they do, it will be back-to-back semi-final appearances for Mikel Arteta, which is an extraordinary achievement.
Predict the score of Arsenal vs Sporting CP second leg👀
Atletico Madrid are already through after beating Barcelona, and they will face the winner of the game at the Emirates Stadium.
One Barcelona player, however, already seems convinced about what will happen in that potential clash – Raphinha.
Raphinha tells Atletico Madrid fans they will be knocked out
Atletico Madrid produced two big performances to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League and secure their place in the semi-finals.
Simeone’s side showed their usual resilience and quality over two legs, and they looked really good.
However, after the game, you could see that the Barcelona players did not take the defeat well. One in particular was former Arsenal target Raphinha.
The Brazilian was seen interacting with Atletico fans inside the stadium, and his message was very clear.
Raphinha gestured towards them and appeared to say, “Out you go,” suggesting they will not make it past the next round, where they are likely to face Arsenal.
The clip, shared by DAZN Futbol, has since gone viral and sparked plenty of discussion. It is obvious that Raphinha believes Atletico’s journey will end in the semi-finals.
If Arsenal get through against Sporting, they will be the team looking to make that happen.
Agree or disagree, winning the Champions League but NOT the Premier League would not be enough this season
Arsenal may already have the edge over Atletico Madrid
Arsenal will take confidence from their previous meeting with Atletico Madrid earlier this season. The Gunners battered Simeone’s side 4-0.
That result could give them a psychological advantage heading into a potential semi-final. It proved that Arteta’s side have what it takes to get the better of one of the best defensive teams on the planet.
Of course, knockout football brings a different kind of pressure, and Atleti will be a much tougher opponent over two legs. Simeone’s sides thrive in these situations, which is what we saw against Barcelona.
However, if Arsenal perform at their best and play with the same confidence, they will back themselves to get the job done and prove Raphinha right.
Before that, the Gunners have to get past Sporting CP, who are not a side anyone should be overlooking.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
