TOTTENHAM aged lad Ivan Perisic has taunted Arsenal up of their “big moment” successful the Champions League.
The PSV winger claims the modern Gunners are “always missing something” – aft going 5 years without silverware.
Ivan Perisic is assured PSV tin stun Arsenal successful the past 16Rex
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GettyPerisic’s verdict earlier Tuesday’s last-16 archetypal limb came arsenic Jurrien Timber urged his Arsenal team-mates to “change the narrative” aft a jarring tally of mediocre signifier and injuries.
And brag Mikel Arteta insists “now is the infinitesimal to commencement to marque different beardown measurement successful the absorption that we want”.
But with the Gunners inactive missing large names, the words of Perisic, who was with fierce rivals Spurs from 2022-2024, mightiness deed a nerve.
The Croatian legend, 36, said: “It’s going to beryllium tough. They are a really, truly bully team, a young squad with a bully coach.
“But implicit the past years they are ever missing thing to measurement up to triumph something.
“I cognize we’re going to person a bully accidental to bushed them.
” I truly judge successful my team. Tactically we person to beryllium astatine the apical level to amusement thing bully against them.”
Arsenal co-owner Josh Kroenke visited their London Colney grooming ground connected Monday, earlier the squad flew to Eindhoven for the tie.
The Gunners person suffered caller disappointments amid wounded woePABEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
It follows a damaging week successful the Prem rubric contention – collecting conscionable 1 constituent from games against West Ham and Nottingham Forest to permission the North Londoners 13 points disconnected leaders Liverpool.
Asked astir Kroenke’s visit, Arteta said: “I americium precise blessed to person him around. He is astir a batch of times for large moments.
“He truly wants to beryllium with the squad and it is large to person him.
“Regardless of wherever you are successful the league, erstwhile you travel to this signifier of the Champions League, it is thing else. You consciousness it successful the ambiance and the vigor of the players.
“It is thing else, successful a infinitesimal wherever you are successful oregon you are out. It gives you urgency and gets the champion retired of you.
“It’s a crippled that truly brings a antithetic energy. It’s a contention that puts everybody connected their toes.
“We’ve done a batch already this play present and present is the infinitesimal to commencement to marque different beardown measurement successful the absorption that we want. I americium precise excited for the game.”
Arsenal are successful the mediate of a fittingness situation pursuing season-ending knocks to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, portion Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are targeting returns adjacent month.
It has near them incredibly abbreviated up top, with midfielder Mikel Merino forced to deputise arsenic a No.9 successful the past 3 league games – scoring doubly disconnected the seat successful a 2-0 triumph astatine Leicester.
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GettyBut the past 2 outings with Merino starting arsenic a striker has seen Arsenal neglect to people successful a 1-0 nonaccomplishment to the Hammers and a goalless gully astatine the City Ground – the archetypal clip they person failed to find the nett successful back-to-back league games since May 2023.
With the league each but wrapped up for Arne Slot’s Reds, Arsenal indispensable present spot the Champions League arsenic their 1 and lone accidental to triumph silverware this term.
Arsenal finished the competition’s caller 36-team league signifier format successful 3rd with six wins, 1 gully and 1 decision – conscionable 2 points disconnected Liverpool successful top-spot.
And Timber is sick of the negativity astir the team.
The Dutch defender said: “It is simply a beauteous crippled to alteration the communicative and win.
“The information is determination and it’s an astonishing contention to play in.
“We showed arsenic good successful the radical stages that we did truly good and we person a bully team. We person truthful overmuch prime successful our group.”
Arsenal volition play Real Madrid oregon Atletico Madrid should they beforehand to the 4th finals, but Arteta is not consenting to look excessively acold ahead.
The Spanish manager added: “The world is, being a coach, I conscionable look astatine what is ahead.
“It’s an ambition. It’s PSV, being amended than them, to person the close to triumph the game. That’s wherever we are.”
Here’s what comes aft Tuesday’s clash for the Gunners
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