Clarence Seedorf has declared that Arsenal should be considered favorites to win the Champions League following Paris Saint-Germain's thrilling 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich on Tuesday night. The former AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder highlighted Arsenal's defensive solidity as a key factor that sets them apart from other contenders.
PSG Edge Bayern in Eight-Goal Thriller
The match at the Parc des Princes was a rollercoaster of emotions, with PSG establishing a commanding 5-2 lead before Bayern mounted a late comeback. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele both scored twice for the hosts, while Joao Neves added a header from a corner. For Bayern, Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, and Luis Diaz found the net, but it wasn't enough to secure a draw.
Rooney Criticizes Defensive Displays
During his post-match analysis on Prime Video, Wayne Rooney expressed disappointment with the defensive performances from both sides. 'I think Luis Enrique is a top coach, so when they had the advantage at 5-2, I think he should have said, 'right, let's shut up shop, let's get behind the ball, make it hard, see the tie out.' Potentially that would have got them to the final, but they didn't; they went for more goals,' Rooney said.
He also criticized Bayern's defensive organization under Vincent Kompany. 'Vincent Kompany has got a very attack-minded team, and I think you could clearly see they haven't worked that much on defending because some of the goals we've seen are schoolboy goals. At this level, we've seen some brilliant but immature defending, which is crazy.'
Rooney added that he would prefer to be in Bayern's position heading into the second leg. 'To leave here with only a goal behind, knowing that you can score goals against PSG, you can tighten it up a little bit. I think the advantage is with them.'
Seedorf Points to Arsenal's Defensive Strength
Seedorf, a four-time Champions League winner, then turned his attention to Arsenal, who face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final on Wednesday night. He argued that Arsenal's defensive record makes them the strongest team remaining in the competition.
'Ask the goalkeepers if they're happy. They are not happy. A clean sheet was always sacred for goalkeepers,' Seedorf said. 'We have seen a team like Arsenal making that difference this year, having so many clean sheets and coming all the way. So if I had to point out one team now that would be capable of actually bringing it home because of that capacity, it's Arsenal.'
Rooney concurred that conceding four or five goals should be a cause for concern, regardless of the result. 'I don't see how, if you're a player or a coach, no matter if you've won the game, you go into that game having conceded four or five goals and be happy. I think there's got to be questions asked.'
Arsenal's strong defensive form has been a cornerstone of their campaign, and Seedorf believes it could be the deciding factor in their quest for European glory.
