Arsenal told two clubs will stop them winning Champions League this season – ‘it’s a weird feeling’ | OneFootball

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have been backed to stop Arsenal from winning the Champions League this season.

On Tuesday night, Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 at the Emirates to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals via a 3-1 aggregate victory.

The Gunners were handed an easier route to the final than most teams and will face Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-finals after the Portuguese side battled back from 3-0 down on aggregate to beat Bodo-Glimt 5-2.

Should Mikel Arteta‘s side get past Sporting Lisbon, FC Barcelona or Atletico Madrid are their likely semi-final opponents, while PSG or Bayern Munich look the most likely sides to reach the final in the other side of the draw.

Speaking on the quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon, former Premier League striker Troy Deeney was unsure which team the tie would suit.

“It’s interesting because I was watching the Arsenal game and thinking what you can say about them,” Deeney said on CBS Sports.

“They’re winning football games, 100%, but they gave Leverkusen a lot of chances in terms of breaking through the lines and getting out wide.

“Leverkusen kept stopping and trying to rebuild but Sporting [who Arsenal face in the quarter-finals] won’t do that, they will be direct and get crosses in.

“But Arsenal love that, the two centre-backs love crosses into the box so I can’t really put my finger on who it suits.”

Deeney has also explained why he thinks PSG and Bayern Munich would beat Arsenal, claiming that two-legged ties would suit the European teams even though they would not face the Gunners until the final.

“If you ask me right here, right now, do I think Arsenal win the Champions League? I would say no,” Deeney added.

“The feeling I get with them is that there is more for you to give for me, but then again they keep winning games and answering every question.

“I think they can do more and can be fantastic but do I think they beat PSG? No. Do I think in a two-legged game they beat Bayern Munich? No. I know they beat them in the group stage but over two legs?

“The point I’m making is when you watch Arsenal they don’t give you a sense they’re going to win the Champions League but you do expect them to get the job down so it’s a weird feeling.”

Deeney later pointed out that his “only criticism” of Arsenal has been their recent “performances”.

“The only criticism I have of Arsenal at the moment is the performances. They won the game, they were great, but it took a massive save from David Raya to keep a clean sheet and they still gave up moments,” Deeney continued.

“I thought in terms of the performance Bayer Leverkusen were better, they played the better stuff.

“But Arsenal just keep grinding you down and know they won’t make mistakes. They didn’t have that in the backend of Arsene Wenger but they have that now.

“They have this horrible, steely nastiness to get over the line under Mikel Arteta.”