Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction for the Champions League final, backing Arsenal to overcome Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskas Arena. Despite admitting the French giants are a superior technical side, the Manchester United legend believes Mikel Arteta has a secret weapon that will prove decisive.

• Getty Images SportFerdinand backs Gunners for European gloryArsenal are standing on the precipice of history as they prepare for a monumental Champions League final clash against PSG. After Bukayo Saka’s heroics against Atletico Madrid secured their spot in the showpiece event, the north London side are now chasing a historic Premier League and European double.Speaking on his Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, the former England defender was emphatic about the Gunners’ chances. “I said Arsenal would win the league this year and I think Arsenal will win the league,” Ferdinand said. “And I now think that Arsenal are going to win the Champions League, guys.”
• PSG are the better footballing side, says ex-defenderDespite his prediction, Ferdinand conceded that Luis Enrique’s side possess more raw quality and tactical fluidity. The Ligue 1 champions have been the competition’s most explosive scorers, netting 44 goals on their way to the final in Budapest, compared to Arsenal’s 29.Ferdinand was full of praise for the Parisian project, stating: “PSG are the better team, 100 per cent. Right now, they’ve got the team, they’re the better footballing team, better style of play, they’re the best team on the planet to watch and their manager is the best right now at this point.”
• Getty Images SportThe set-piece factorThe difference-maker, according to Ferdinand, lies in Arsenal’s physical dominance and mastery of dead-ball situations. He believes PSG’s defensive fragility at corners and free-kicks will be their undoing against Arteta’s highly-drilled specialists.”But they look uncomfortable at set-pieces,” Ferdinand explained. “Even Bayern Munich, who aren’t great at set-pieces, they made them look uncomfortable and I’ve seen it many times this season. They’re the best team in the Premier League at set-pieces and if they get set-pieces and free-kicks and corners, they are going to cause absolute carnage against that small PSG team.”Physically, at set-pieces, PSG can not compete with Arsenal and if Arsenal get any type of possession and any type of free-kicks around the box, or even the halfway line, they’re going to cause damage.”
• Getty Images SportA different view from Gary NevilleWhile Ferdinand is confident, his former teammate Neville remains a skeptic. Neville admitted that a double would put Arteta’s squad into a “different stratosphere,” but he feels the Parisian giants are simply too far ahead in their development to be stopped now.Neville told his Sky Sports podcast: “PSG are better than them, you can’t get away from that. PSG are a better team than Arsenal right now and they’ve demonstrated that over the last two seasons. It feels like the moment PSG for win it back-to-back and for Luis Enrique to put himself up there with the God-like managers who have done this.”

Rio Ferdinand makes bold Arsenal vs PSG prediction for Champions League final

The north London outfit will be looking to banish the memories of their only previous appearance two decades ago, when Barcelona came from behind to beat Arsene Wenger’s men to get their hands on the trophy.

But according to Ferdinand, Luis Enrique’s side look ‘uncomfortable’ when defending set-pieces at the other end of the pitch, which is where they could come unstuck when they lock horns with Arsenal at Budapest’s Puskas Arena.

‘They’re the best team in the Premier League at set-pieces and if they get set-pieces and free-kicks and corners, they are going to cause absolute carnage against that small PSG team.

‘Physically, at set-pieces, PSG can not compete with Arsenal and if Arsenal get any type of possession and any type of free-kicks around the box, or even the halfway line, they’re going to cause damage.’

On the suggestion that Champions League referees have been hotter than Premier League officials on wrestling and holding inside the box, Ferdinand replied: ‘Yeah, but Bayern didn’t have to be aggressive.

‘You just have to make good runs and they’ve got athletic, big players, Arsenal, who know how to get on the end of things.

‘I just think they’re going to cause problems and I think in the stadium you’ll feel an air and an energy of uncertainty from PSG.

‘PSG are absolutely certain and confident in every facet of their game bar set-pieces. And that’s where Arsenal are strong.

‘It leads me to believe that there is hope for Arsenal. Like I said, I’ll reiterate, as a football team and the way they play, there’s not a comparison for me right now, at this moment in time.

‘But there’s more to football than just style of play and set-pieces have to be considered hugely and I think Arsenal are a massive threat to this PSG team.’

In the aftermath of Sunday’s thriller at the London Stadium, Ian Wright suggested Arteta’s Arsenal would go down as the greatest team in the club’s history should they win the double this season.

‘Of course, you have to agree,’ Ferdinand said when asked about Wright’s remarks.

‘If they win the Premier League and the Champions League, no Arsenal’s team has ever done that… in the same season as well.

‘Manchester United has done it twice, Manchester City have done it, Liverpool did in in the 1970s. My team did it, we won the Premier League and Champions League.

‘A lot of teams win one or the other but yeah, they’ll have to go down as the best Arsenal team, 100 per cent, I don’t think that’s even debatable.’

Will Arsenal win the double this season?

When it comes to Arsenal’s Champions League’s hopes, Ferdinand’s long-time team-mate Gary Neville is not quite so confident.

The ex-United and England right-back conceded that Arteta’s squad would enter a ‘different stratosphere’ if they did come out on top in Hungary on May 30.

‘The Arsenal players should be in dreamland now, they should be unstoppable, nothing should be able to stop them now,’ Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast.

‘In the Champions League final they need to think about their defensive ability and strength and think how they can over 90 minutes beat a team who are better than them.

‘Because PSG are better than them, you can’t get away from that. PSG are a better team than Arsenal right now and they’ve demonstrated that over the last two seasons.

‘For Mikel Arteta it’s a chance to go to another level because winning the Champions League would be incredible.

Winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years is huge but getting the Champions League as well would be incredible.

‘It feels like the right moment for Arsenal to win the Premier League, it doesn’t quite feel like the right moment for them to win the Champions League.

‘It feels like the moment PSG for win it back-to-back and for Luis Enrique to put himself up there with the God-like managers who have done this.

‘It feels more like that than Arsenal winning the double but it doesn’t really matter, it would still be a sensational season for Arsenal.

‘And if they do win the double, that puts them into a different stratosphere.’

Source: www.goal.com