Joe Cole has backed Arsenal to overcome Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final clash next month. Both teams secured their spots in the last eight on Wednesday night, with Arsenal thrashing PSV 9-3 on aggregate and Real Madrid edging Atletico Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Real Madrid, the defending champions and record 15-time winners of the competition, will head into the tie as favourites. However, Cole believes Mikel Arteta’s side have the quality to upset the Spanish giants over two legs.
“This Arsenal team can beat anybody over two legs,” Cole told TNT Sports. “Real have a lot of holes in their squad right now, no recognised striker, and injuries are piling up. But sometimes that can galvanise a team.”
Martin Keown also praised Arsenal’s performance, claiming their dominant 9-3 win over PSV has sent shockwaves across Europe. The former Arsenal defender highlighted the return of key players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as a major boost ahead of the Real Madrid clash.
“To win 7-1 in the first leg and 9-3 overall will ripple across Europe,” Keown said. “Arsenal will be a formidable opponent for Real Madrid. Players are coming back from injury, and the squad is gaining momentum at the right time.”
Keown singled out Oleksandr Zinchenko for his impressive performance against PSV, where he scored the opening goal. The Ukrainian played a hybrid role, dropping deep into midfield before pushing forward to grab his goal.
“I was watching Zinchenko with great interest,” Keown added. “He’s highly rated behind the scenes and showed his quality today. His movement from midfield to the No.10 role was brilliant.”
Keown also praised Raheem Sterling for his role in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw in the second leg, providing two assists. “In spells, Sterling was excellent. His involvement in both goals was probably his best football all season,” Keown said.