Former Super Eagles and Arsenal forward Nwankwo Kanu has thrown his weight behind Arsenal ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, insisting that the Gunners’ unbeaten European campaign and Premier League title triumph give them the belief needed to go all the way, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Arsenal head into the final at the Puskás Arena as English champions for the first time in 22 years, having gone through the entire Champions League campaign without a single defeat.
The north London club are appearing in their first final in the competition in 20 years, having come agonisingly close in 2006 before losing to Barcelona. That near miss has lingered long in the club’s memory, and Saturday represents an opportunity to finally close that chapter.
Standing in their way are the defending champions. PSG claimed the title last season with a stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final and also eliminated Arsenal at the semi-final stage that same year.
The French side have again produced commanding results against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in this season’s knockout rounds, and arrive in Budapest as a side that knows exactly what it takes to win in these occasions.
Kanu, who won the Champions League himself with Ajax in 1995, believes the league title has given Mikel Arteta’s side a different kind of confidence this time around.
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“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 chnged, and we have come out on top to win the Premier League title,” he said.
“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.”
He pointed to Arsenal’s unbeaten European record as a source of genuine belief within the camp, and singled out the club’s defensive solidity under Arteta as the quality most likely to prove decisive against PSG’s attacking threat.
“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,” the former Nigeria international said.
A win for Arsenal on Saturday would be the first Champions League title in the club’s history and would cement Arteta’s legacy as the manager who delivered the two prizes that had eluded the club for the longest time.
For Kanu, who was part of the Arsenal sides that fell short in Europe during his own playing days, the occasion carries particular personal resonance. The 1995 Champions League winner will be watching closely, hoping the club he served so faithfully can finally complete the job he never could.