Former Manchester United and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves has praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his bold approach and believes the Gunners can win the Champions League for the first time in their history if they continue to play with courage and confidence.
Arsenal stun Porto with late comeback
Arsenal showed their fighting spirit and resilience as they came back from a goal down to beat Porto 2-1 in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. The Gunners had lost the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and were facing elimination when Wenderson Galeno scored for the visitors in the 72nd minute.
However, Arsenal refused to give up and equalized through a stunning volley from Kai Havertz in the 83rd minute. The German midfielder, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, scored his sixth goal in the Champions League this season and his 18th in all competitions.
The hosts then completed the turnaround in the 89th minute when Gabriel Martinelli headed in a cross from Bukayo Saka. The Brazilian teenager, who has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers this season, scored his 10th goal in the Champions League and his 25th in all competitions.
Arsenal’s dramatic victory sent them through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2010. They will face Bayern Munich, who eliminated Manchester United on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw.
Hargreaves hails Arteta’s bravery and team spirit
Hargreaves, who was part of the United team that won the Champions League in 2008, was full of admiration for Arsenal’s performance and praised Arteta for his tactical decisions and motivational skills.
“I think Arsenal can win the Champions League. They have a brave manager, a brave team, and a lot of quality players. They play with a lot of intensity, creativity, and flair. They also have a lot of character and belief. They never give up and they always find a way to win,” Hargreaves said on BT Sport.
Hargreaves singled out Arteta’s decision to start Martinelli ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was left on the bench until the 77th minute, as a sign of his courage and vision.
“I think Arteta made a brave call to start Martinelli. He is a young player, but he has a lot of talent and energy. He works hard for the team and he always makes things happen. He scored the winning goal and he deserved it. He is a special player and he has a bright future,” Hargreaves said.
Hargreaves also highlighted the importance of the team spirit and unity that Arteta has instilled in the Arsenal squad, which was evident in their celebrations after the final whistle.
“You can see how much this means to them. They are a team, they are a family, they are together. They celebrate every goal, every win, every moment. They have a great bond and a great culture. Arteta has done a fantastic job and he deserves a lot of credit,” Hargreaves said.
Arsenal face tough test against Bayern
Arsenal will face a tough test in the quarter-finals as they will take on Bayern Munich, who are the reigning champions and the favourites to retain the trophy. The German giants have won the Champions League six times, including three times in the last five seasons.
Bayern have a formidable squad, led by the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Alphonso Davies. They also have a proven manager in Julian Nagelsmann, who took over from Hansi Flick in the summer of 2023.
Arsenal have a poor record against Bayern, having lost seven of their last eight meetings in the Champions League, including a 10-2 aggregate defeat in the round-of-16 in 2017. However, Arsenal will hope to defy the odds and history and pull off another upset against the German giants.
The first leg of the quarter-final will take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich on April 4, while the second leg will be at the Emirates Stadium on April 11.
