Former England defender Martin Keown feels Arsenal could be the Champions League’s surprise package this season and has backed them to knock Monaco out in the last 16.
The Gunners will welcome the Ligue 1 side in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie to the Emirates Stadium later tonight.
Arsenal have been knocked out at the same stage of the competition for four seasons running by teams such as Bayern Munich, Barcelona and AC Milan – but Keown feels they couldn’t have asked for a better opponent than Monaco this time around.
The former Arsenal defender feels that they have been unlucky with the draw over the past few years, but have a golden opportunity to make it to the quarter-finals this time.
“It was a dream draw [for Arsenal]”, Keown said on the BBC’s Football Focus.
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“Arsenal had some terrible draws in recent years. Bayern Munich twice, AC Milan and Barcelona; so they have been knocked out at this stage [for the last few years].”
The former England man also believes that with the quality that Arsenal possess in their squad, they have the potential to become the surprise package of this season’s competition and feels they will see off Monaco in the last 16 tie.
“I feel the squad at Arsenal are coming together [now]. Jack Wilshere is now coming back from injury, [Mesut] Ozil is playing really well and [Alexis] Sanchez’s attitude is infectious at the football club”, Keown explained.
“So I feel Arsenal could be a surprise package and I think they will certainly get through this one.”
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