LONDON – Arsenal icon Thierry Henry has told Mikel Arteta’s side that their perfect Champions League start will be forgotten if they fail to win the tournament.
Despite Arsenal sitting top of the table with seven wins from seven, Henry used his platform on CBS Sports to downplay the achievement.
He reminded viewers that last season’s winners, Paris Saint-Germain, didn’t even finish in the top eight during the group phase, instead advancing through the play-offs to claim the title.
Responding to Micah Richards’ praise of Premier League “dominance,” Henry was blunt:“It’s about winning it. That’s all it is, nothing else. Paris Saint-Germain were not in the top eight last year.
That’s a fact.”The Gunners maintained their lead Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Inter Milan, featuring a brace from Gabriel Jesus and a late goal by Viktor Gyökeres.
However, for Henry, the only metric of success is being present at the final in Budapest.
“It doesn’t matter [where you sit now],” Henry concluded. “You have to be there in Budapest. That’s where you need to be.”