Every pundit who predicted Arsenal would beat PSG in the Champions League
Arsenal’s run in the Champions League recently came to an end, despite plenty of pundits backing the Gunners to beat PSG.
Following Arsenal’s heroic two-leg display against Real Madrid in the quarter-final, plenty of fans and pundits alike thought that Mikel Arteta’s side would go all the way.
However, PSG managed to get the better of them over two legs as Luis Enrique’s side won the tie 3-1 on aggregate.
Prior to their clash, here was every pundit who wrongly predicted Arsenal to progress to the final.
Roy Keane
Not only did Keane predict Arsenal to beat PSG, he also predicted Barcelona to progress against Inter.
“Arsenal v Barcelona final, it’s got it written all over it,” Keane said on The Overlap.
Safe to say that’s not his finest prediction.
Gary Neville
Despite Arsenal losing the first leg, Neville was still backing the Gunners to turn things around in the second leg.
“Arsenal have got a chance on Wednesday,” Neville said on Sky Sports.
“It’s a completely different game obviously, it goes without saying. But you can go there and cause some shocks.
“I’ve been there a couple of times and seen Real Madrid win there and I saw Manchester United win there. PSG get very nervous if the wrong things happen for them in that stadium.”
While the PSG of old might have wilted following Arsenal’s early pressure, Enrique’s side now seems to be made of stronger stuff.
Arsene Wenger
The Arsenal legend backed his former side to get the better of PSG, even after the Gunners lost the opening leg.
“At some stage you have win it … and this team is strong enough to win the Champions League or to win the Premier League,” Wenger said.
“I’m confident that they can overturn the first leg, and they have the needed quality.
“But of course, you need to have a great offensive performance, but you need as well to be capable to stop this PSG team, to stop them expressing their talent, which is not easy.”
Theo Walcott
Having racked up 397 appearances for the club, we can hardly blame Walcott for backing his former side.
Not only did the 36-year-old predict Arsenal to beat PSG, he went all out and predicted Arteta’s side to win the entire competition.
“I want Arsenal to win it and they are certainly capable of going all the way,” he told BBC Sport.
“They will be favourites now, after going to the Bernabeu and beating Real Madrid, but there is something about Inter Milan that worries me. The way they defend makes me think they have a real chance too.
“It is still so open, though, and I can’t even call either semi-final right now, let alone the final – it’s too hard to say who will win it with any certainty.”
Nedum Onuoha
The former Manchester City defender described Arsenal as the ‘most complete’ team left in the competition after they knocked out Real Madrid.
“They [Arsenal and PSG] are the two best teams in the competition,” Onuoha told BBC Sport.
“It’s very hard to choose between the two but I am going to go for Arsenal.
“Beating Real Madrid, even if this isn’t the best version of Real Madrid is one thing, but to go to the Bernabeu with all the talk about a comeback and be so robust, showed they have what it takes.
“Overall, in terms of how they are prepared to defend and suffer, and still have a threat in attack, I would argue they are the most complete team left in the competition.”
Alex Howell
The BBC news reporter was convinced that Arsenal were going to go all the way after they dispatched Real Madrid.
“I’m going with Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s side have faced a lot of adversity this season and have found their stride in the Champions League.
“Defensively, they are excellent and with the attacking threat of Bukayo Saka, the Gunners have the quality to hurt any team left in the competition.”
READ NEXT: How much UEFA prize money has every English club received in 2024-25?
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club to knock Arsenal out of the Champions League since 2000?