Former Super Eagles’ captain, Nwankwo Kanu (Papilo) has come out with a very daring declaration that it’s the turn of Arsenal to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy and opined that they will achieve it this weekend, Sports247 reports.
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With The Gunners still fresh from winning the English Premier League after 22 years of a barren run, Kanu believes the aura of that triumph on the domestic front will help them in the European elite club’s competition’s final.
They come up against defending champions, Paris-Saint Germain, who sent them packing from the competition last year in the semi-finals, but Kanu says there’s no cause for alarm, as he believes his former club are in buoyant mood.
He refrained from tagging it a ‘revenge mission,’ but admitted that the fury of getting one back on a team that defeated them recently would spur The Gunners forward on Saturday, just as it did for them against Manchester City in the EPL.
The former two-time African Footballer of The Year (1996 & 1999), who shot to limelight in Nigeria’s FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning squad of 1993 in Japan, reckoned that Arsenal are not under pressure ahead of Saturday’s final in Budapest.
Kanu, who also played for Ajax of Netherlands and Inter Milan of Italy, averred, “They have taken something out by proving they can win. So, the pressure is no longer the same, Now, it is about playing with freedom and confidence.
“At this stage, they need to relax, trust their quality, and continue to build momentum. With that experience behind them, they can focus on staying consistent and keeping the winning mentality to secure more trophies.
“I told my friends that last season, we were struggling against Manchester City, and they went on to win the league. But this season, the table changed, and we have come out on top to win the Premier League title.
“In the same way, PSG won the Champions League last year, but I truly believe that this season it will be Arsenal’s turn to go all the way and lift the trophy, making it a historic year for the club.
“Last season is completely different from this one. If you look at our Champions League run, we haven’t lost a single game, and reaching the final on that record gives us real belief that we can go all the way.
“Some may call it revenge, but for us, it is about proving ourselves and finishing the job. We really need it, and with this mentality, we are confident we can definitely get it done.”
