Wesley Sneijder has made an astonishing prediction for the Champions League final, suggesting Arsenal could lose 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain. The Gunners secured their place in the final after defeating Atletico Madrid last week and are chasing a magnificent double under Mikel Arteta, with the Premier League title within their grasp.
However, they face perhaps the most dangerous side in European football in defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. PSG's semi-final against Bayern Munich showcased their strengths, with a scintillating 5-4 victory in the first leg followed by a resilient defensive performance away in Germany. The French champions recorded the biggest ever final victory when they trounced Inter Milan 5-0 last year.
Sneijder's Analysis
Sneijder, who won the Champions League with Inter in 2010, believes Arsenal's full-backs will be key. He stressed the importance of Jurrien Timber's potential return from injury. While not ruling out an 'ugly' win for the Premier League side, the former Netherlands international thinks Luis Enrique's men could run riot in Budapest.
Speaking to Hard Rock Bet, Sneijder said: 'If I have to say who I think will win, I'd say PSG. But Arsenal are not conceding goals easily. They have a very strong defence with the two central defenders with top quality. I don't believe the full-backs are the best players in the Champions League, and that's where PSG have power, especially on the left side.'
He added: 'Everybody with an Arsenal heart hopes Justin Timber will be back and recover for the final. Otherwise, it's going to be very hard for them. But Arsenal also know how to double up, with Declan Rice dropping back into defence. It's going to be an interesting one. I think it could be similar to the Inter Milan final last year. I believe it could be [5-0].'
Possible Outcomes
Sneijder compared the final to his experience with Inter against PSG: 'Before the game, I thought PSG had the advantage but Inter with a strong defence, and with the way they play on the counterattacks. Maybe it can be [an upset] and 1-0 to Inter but it could also be a very hard night for Inter as well and it's the same feeling I have now [for Arsenal]. It can be ugly, 1-0 to Arsenal, and I don't say ugly in a bad way because to stop PSG scoring is a huge performance. But that's really hard.'
He concluded: 'If Arsenal manage it and win 1-0, then it's a great job. But I believe it will be very hard not to concede against PSG. So, it can either be 3-0 or 4-0 to PSG, or 1-0 Arsenal.'
