Former Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has insisted they can beat Paris Saint-Germain, and admits he has a good feeling about his old side.
DH Net have an interview with the Belgian defender today in which he insists he’s confident Mikel Arteta’s side can progress to the Champions League final.
Arsenal take on PSG in Paris tonight looking to overcome a 1- 0 defeat in the first leg at the Emirates a week ago.
Their home game proved to be a disappointing one for the Gunners as they failed to properly threaten PSG in the game or hit the levels they managed when they saw off Real Madrid int eh quarterfinals.
Their performance at the Santiago Bernabeu should give them confidence for the trip to the Parc des Princes, though, and Vermaelen insists he believes in his former side.
“But I have a good feeling about Arsenal,” he said when asked about the game.
“I think they can qualify. The situation has made it difficult for them, but I believe it can still happen.
“When you see what they did against Real Madrid, they played very maturely. I’ve also become a bit of a PSG fan. Not before, when they mostly relied on buying stars. But now, with this coach I know well.
“They did have some difficulties against Aston Villa, however. They also conceded chances to Arsenal. So, nothing is impossible for the Gunners.”
This Arsenal team is a far cry from the one that Vermaelen was a part of, with a third straight second placed finish in the Premier League currently being eyed up.
It’s been year on year progression under Mikel Arteta since his arrival in 2019, with their progression to the Champions League semi-finals this season a perfect example of that.
Vermaelen has been watching their development with interest and believes there’s a very clear difference from the sides that he played in.
“Back then, we were always a playful team, with technically gifted players,” he added.
“That’s perhaps the only big similarity with his team today. Because now you see more of Guardiola’s system in Arteta’s game, with full backs sometimes moving into midfield. We didn’t do that because it was a different era.”
