Thierry Henry is one of the greatest players to have ever played for Arsenal. Known for his swift skills and goal-scoring prowess, Henry has put up some astonishing figures, leading him to become the top goal scorer for Arsenal. However, nowadays, Thierry Henry is mostly seen as a pundit or sports broadcaster.
The Arsenal legend has always been a loyal supporter of the club and never misses an opportunity to voice his thoughts on Arsenal. Following Arsenal’s win over Porto after penalties, Henry once again shared his opinion on Arsenal’s potential opponents in the quarterfinals.
Thierry Henry lists two ‘cocky’ UCL teams Arsenal should avoid
The Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has made a statement that has quickly become the talk of the day. Recently, Arsenal qualified for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, prompting Henry to share his view that Arsenal should try to avoid two of the teams in order to advance to the semifinals.
In a recent interview with CBS Sports, Thierry Henry stated that Arsenal should avoid top teams like Manchester City and Real Madrid in the upcoming Champions League draw. He emphasized that “there are two teams there who can be cocky – it’s Real Madrid and Man City, that’s about it,” highlighting their current dominance.
Henry also pointed out that “the champions can talk Man City and then Real Madrid, we already know they have 14.” However, he also acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the Champions League, stating, “you can never disrespect anyone in Europe,” and emphasizing that every team is capable of turning things around.
So now the stage is set for a draw of the Champions League quarter final where the defending Champions Manchester City and the 14 times Champions Real Madrid pose a fearsome threat. While Manchester City maintains the 3rd position in the League, Real Madrid sits top of the table in La Liga. Such a dominant display has sparked concern over Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who believes that Arsenal should avoid the potential draw against these teams.
Thierry Henry compares current talent to Dennis Bergkamp
During the RO16 game against Porto, Henry made a statement where he was seen comparing Martin Ødegaard to the Arsenal’s legend Dennis Bergkamp. He believed that the skills of Ødegaard quite resembled that of Bergkamp. In the halftime of the match, Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry couldn’t resist but to praise Ødegaard for setting the ball for Leandro Trossard which helped to equalize the tally against Porto on aggregate.
Henry said, “What I like here is what Odegaard did when the ball come back here. and when asked if he resembles Bergkamp? he said, “Yes, very much so. The way he shifted the ball back onto his left foot, to find that little pass that went in between the leg of the player, to make sure Trossard was going to finish it and he finished it ever-so well.”
The Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp was once a teammate of Thierry Henry, and both players played influential roles in achieving the PL Title in 2002/03 while remaining undefeated throughout the season. However, Henry’s recent praise of Ødegaard doesn’t necessarily imply that Ødegaard has reached Bergkamp’s level, but it does highlight that he resembles much of the skill of Dennis Bergkamp.
Martin Ødegaard has been the main player for Arsenal in recent years, captaining the current Arsenal side. He has scored 9 goals and provided 8 assists across all competitions. Arsenal is currently sitting on top of the table in the league and has also advanced to the Quarterfinals of the Champions League.
With the Champions League draw coming close it would be intriguing to see who will face Arsenal in the Quarterfinals. Will Arsenal be able to avoid the two European giants or will fate hand them a clash that even Henry was not prepared for? Tell us in the comment.