“Once Arsenal get it, no one can stop them” — Ferdinand

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand fears what is to come should Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team get their hands on the one silverware that has eluded the Gunners ever since.

Rio Ferdinand weighed in on Arsenal’s jubilant celebrations following their dramatic penalty shootout victory over Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Speaking on TNT Sports following Arsenal’s triumph, which saw the Gunners progress to the quarter-finals of the competition, Ferdinand acknowledged the significance of the moment for Mikel Arteta’s side.

“Some people might criticize and say: ‘you’ve only got into the quarter-finals, you haven’t even won it yet’, but I know that feeling,” Ferdinand remarked.

Despite a 1-0 loss in Portugal, Arsenal managed to level the tie on the night through a goal from Leandro Trossard. However, they couldn’t secure a decisive victory in regular time, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya emerged as the hero, saving two spot kicks to secure their passage to the next round. Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice all held their nerve to convert their penalties.

For Arsenal, reaching the quarter-finals marks a significant milestone, as it’s the first time in 14 years that they have advanced this far in the Champions League.

Reflecting on Arsenal’s celebrations, Ferdinand noted the importance of overcoming such hurdles in a competition as prestigious as the Champions League.

“That’s a hurdle got over. Right, I can feel something. I think the dynamics are changing there,” he added.

The former Centre Back adds;

“They’ve got to get their hands on silverware but once they do I think they are going to be a hard team to stop.”