Former Chelsea and West Ham star Joe Cole believes Arsenal ‘certainly can’ win the Champions League.
The Gunners take on Lens in their second group stage tie of the competition on Tuesday night, live on talkSPORT.
Mikel Arteta’s side sealed a convincing 4-0 victory over PSV on their return to the competition and will be hoping to carry on their unbeaten run this season in France.
Arsenal hadn’t competed in the Champions League since the 2016/17 season, enduring a six year absence from the tournament.
But one former Premier League star and England international believes there’s no reason why the Gunners can’t go all the way in the competition despite them not being part of it for so long.
« They certainly can win the Champions League, » Joe Cole told talkSPORT Breakfast.
« Earlier when Arteta was in the early stages of his reign he was talking about ‘the project, the project’, I was thinking ‘what’s going on here?’.
« But he’s made every right decision at every corner. I think they’re a young team, they’re fearless, Declan [Rice] going in has taken them up another level. »
After finishing second in the Premier League last season despite sitting top of the table for most of the campaign, the Gunners are on the hunt to have an even better season this time around.
Cole has been impressed by his former London rivals’ summer recruitment and says that will help them in the title race, as well as the Champions League.
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« It’s very difficult one you get to a certain level as a football club to improve your team, » he said. « We’ve seen so many teams get there and then falter when they’ve made two or three bad signings.
« I think bringing in the goalkeeper, strengthening that area of the pitch, you’ve got two great goalkeepers now. Kai Havertz got his first goal.
« I think they’ll push Manchester City all the way. I think Liverpool will be there as well. »
When it comes to the Champions League in particular, though, Cole thinks the 2006 finalists now sit in the exclusive club of teams tipped to win it.
« I think they’ve got every chance of winning the Champions League, » he said. « Outside of Manchester City and maybe Bayern Munich, they’re in that group of teams that can do it, and Real Madrid, obviously. »
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