Arsenal have been cautioned that they must produce 'the best version of themselves' to have any chance of overcoming Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. The French outfit became the second team to secure their place in this season's showpiece after narrowly edging past Bayern Munich with a 6-5 aggregate victory.
Arsenal's Path to the Final
The Gunners booked their spot in a Champions League final for the first time in two decades by defeating Spanish side Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate on Tuesday. Mikel Arteta's squad will enter the final in Budapest as significant underdogs. PSG have been in outstanding form throughout the season and secured their first European title nearly 12 months ago.
Steven Gerrard's Warning
Steven Gerrard, who won the competition with Liverpool, believes that the underdog tag could work in Arsenal's favour but stressed that they still need to perform at their peak. Speaking after PSG's win over Bayern on Wednesday, he told TNT Sports: 'I know more than anyone else that an underdog can win this final. You know I played against that AC Milan side and it was a mismatch in terms of individuals and collectively, they were much better, but anything can happen in a final.'
He added: 'They're playing against a high quality team, an elite manager, Arsenal will have to be the best version of themselves for the full game. Every single player's going to have to turn up, but of course they've got a chance. I think they'll be the underdogs which might suit them.'
Premier League Title Race
Gerrard also emphasised the importance of Arsenal's Premier League campaign: 'If they can win the Premier League it'll give them immense belief and confidence going in. I think they have to use their physicality, their size. They'll need to make every set piece count and take PSG where they don't want to go and make it uncomfortable for them, but they've certainly got a chance.'
Arsenal have other priorities before the final. Arteta's side are also chasing the Premier League title and are favourites to claim the trophy. They currently sit five points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City with just three games remaining. Their upcoming fixtures include a match against struggling West Ham this weekend, followed by a clash with Burnley, and they round off their campaign with a showdown against Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Luis Enrique's PSG will aim to secure the Ligue 1 title before the final. They are six points ahead of Lens with three games left, as they seek to become only the second team to retain the Champions League, emulating Real Madrid.
