Martin Keown names the team Arsenal must avoid to win Champions League | Football

Martin Keown has backed Arsenal to reach the Champions League final and says he wants his former club to avoid holders PSG.

Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders face La Liga giants Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals after beating Portuguese champions Sporting in the quarters.

Kai Havertz’s injury-time goal separated the two sides after the first leg in Lisbon and Arsenal held Sporting to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium to go through.

It was not the most convincing performance from an Arsenal team who just weeks ago were chasing a historic quadruple but have since fallen short in both domestic cup competitions and given Manchester City hope in the title race.

Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid for a place in the Champions League final after Diego Simeone’s side beat La Liga rivals Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate.

On the other side of the draw, Champions League holders PSG continue their title defence against German champions Bayern Munich.

Keown believes Arsenal will overcome Atletico to reach their first Champions League final since 2006 and says he would ‘prefer’ to face Bayern Munich than PSG in the showpiece event on May 30.

Asked for his prediction for the Champions League final line-up, Keown said on TNT Sports: ‘It’s too hard to call.

‘I’ll go with Bayern to get through on that side of the draw. An Arsenal-Bayern final.

‘We’ve seen out here already that Arsenal can beat Bayern Munich but Bayern are going through the gears now obviously.

‘I would still prefer Arsenal to play Bayern though just because of PSG’s pace which is ridiculous.’ 

Arsenal sealed emphatic victories over semi-final opponents Atletico Madrid and possibly Champions League finalists Bayern Munich in the group stage, beating the Spanish side 4-0 and the German outfit 3-1.

Joe Cole also expects the Gunners to advance at the expense of Atletico despite their recent unconvinving form.

‘Arsenal fans should be very, very confident,’ Cole said on TNT Sports. ‘They always knew they were on the better side of the draw.

‘A semi-final against an Atletico Madrid team that we saw against Barcelona, Arsenal are a lot stronger in so many different areas.

‘The only thing that Atletico Madrid have got over them is experience but I still think the double is on for Arsenal, I really do.

‘It will be chaos but Arsenal can’t be gentlemen in a game like that. There will be dark arts from Atletico so Arsenal need to manage that.’

Arsenal now put their Champions League aspirations on hold and turn their attentions to a huge Premier League clash against title rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

Arteta’s side, chasing a first league title since 2004, boast a six-point lead over Man City, who have a game in hand.

Arsenal drew 1-1 with City in the reverse fixture but lost 2-0 to Pep Guardiola’s team in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

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