Arsenal are four wins away from securing a historic Premier League and Champions League double, but Mikel Arteta’s side are still the subject of strong talk from pundits and ex-players
Arsenal stand just four triumphs away from clinching an incredible Premier League and Champions League double.
Tuesday evening witnessed Mikel Arteta’s side battle to claim a 1-0 victory against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The Gunners wrapped up a 2-1 aggregate triumph, booking their place in the final for the first time since 2006, as they look to lift the European Cup for the first time in their history.
The Gunners confront a mammoth challenge when they take on defending champions PSG in the final on May 30. However, they will initially focus on the Premier League, where they can claim a first domestic crown since the Invincibles triumph of 2003/04. Their three matches to the title kick off with West Ham away this Sunday afternoon. Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates Stadium.
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Kvaratskhelia sends message
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has spoken candidly about the Gunners as PSG prepare for their Champions League final showdown with Arsenal, reports the Mirror.
The Georgian has been the standout performer of the competition thus far, propelling the Parisians to the final with two strikes in the opening leg against Bayern Munich and an assist in the return fixture.
Kvaratskhelia has notched 18 goals and 10 assists across 44 outings this campaign, including a remarkable 10 goals and six assists in European competition alone. However, the influential winger remains fully conscious of the threat the north Londoners present.
He said: “Very happy we’re in the final. We know it will be difficult against Arsenal. Bayern is one of the best teams right now. It was very difficult. The hardest one in the season. We showed we can play against these teams. I will give everything for this badge.”
Sky Sports have claimed the 25-year-old, who joined PSG from Napoli in a bargain £60m deal in January last year, is an Arsenal transfer target for the summer.
Widely recognised as the best winger in the world, Kvaratskhelia is said to earn nearly £300,000-per-week plus bonuses and is contracted until 2029. Any transfer would likely exceed £100m and possibly smash the British transfer record of £125m.
Keown blasts ‘insulting’ claim
Martin Keown has branded suggestions of Arsenal bottling trophies as “insulting”.
TalkSPORT presenter Jim White questioned the Arsenal legend whether he’ll be dishing out humble pie to all those who have questioned the Gunners come the campaign’s conclusion.
The former defender said: “I don’t really care. This is the first season with Arteta that I’ve said we can really win the league. We still haven’t done that and with Pep [Guardiola] in the building, we’re up against it.
“I’ve bristled at the bottling claim, it’s insulting. I’ve heard Simon Jordan use the word and about perpetuity and it being around forever, but it [bottling] certainly wasn’t around in my day.
“And if they go on and win the league and the Champions League, or even take just one of those trophies, I don’t think that can be said about this group ever again.”