Arsenal travel to the Parc des Princes to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday with a 1-0 deficit to overturn
Rio Ferdinand is backing Bukayo Saka to inspire an Arsenal comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, but has warned their mentality will have to be spot-on. The Gunners head to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night looking to overturn the 1-0 deficit from the first leg in north London.
The French side come into the second leg with the advantage thanks to Ousmane Dembele’s early goal last week. But despite their deficit, Arsenal can take some positives from the first leg when Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard forced great saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Having beaten Liverpool and Aston Villa already in the Champions League this season, PSG are heavy favourites to get past a third English side and book a place in the final against Inter Milan.
But Ferdinand believes that Arsenal’s gritty performance in the quarter final against Real Madrid should give them confidence, with Saka the ace up their sleeve.
Speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast before Inter’s dramatic 4-3 win over Barcelona, he said: “If there is a team who can go to PSG and win, it’s Arsenal. I don’t think it’s about ability at this stage, I think it’s about mentality and belief.
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“In Bukayo Saka they’ve got a matchwinner who can turn the game on its head. There’s positives there but if the mindset isn’t right, they will get smoked, I’m telling you. The problem for Arsenal is PSG are a proper team, I don’t think they’re invincible but they’ve been the best team in the Champions League.
“If you’re a football purist, you want the two most attacking and free teams in the final. PSG and Barcelona are the two most attacking and free teams in terms of letting their attacking players just go.
“I think that would make for an unbelievable spectacle and throw us into a different cycle where managers attack more. Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick could be the managers to follow in terms of their philosophy instead of Pep Guardiola who has been great at it in a great era.”
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Mikel Arteta has emphasised the need for Arsenal to believe they belong on this big stage. “Huge enthusiasm, huge energy. We are a day away from being in the Champions League semi-final, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world against a great opponent – it doesn’t get much better than that,” he said when asked how his players could do it.
“We are here to make history, and we have a big opportunity tomorrow. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity about what we have to do. A lot of learning from the first leg as well, and how small the margins are between the two teams.
“The result, in my opinion, should have been very different to that one. So tomorrow, another opportunity to prove that and earn the right to be in the final.”
Asked if his players belong at this level, he replied: “100 per cent, I think that’s how you have to embrace and take the game, you know, to make something special. As we said, to win the final of the Champions League, you have to do something exceptional throughout the tournament.”
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