"You can't win it from there," Ferdinand and Fletcher rip into Arsenal’s European chances

• Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal are only the fifth-best team in their Champions League half and doubts their title chances
• Arsenal could face Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals before a possible semi-final against Liverpool or PSG
• With major hurdles ahead, Arsenal must prove their doubters wrong if they are to compete for European glory

Premier League consistent runner-ups Arsenal may have made history with their stunning 7-1 demolition of PSV Eindhoven, but not everyone is convinced they have what it takes to lift the Champions League trophy. 

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has cast serious doubt on the Gunners’ chances, claiming that Mikel Arteta’s side would struggle against at least four other teams in their half of the draw.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand ranked Arsenal as the fifth-best team in their section, placing them behind Liverpool, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain. The former England international, who lifted the trophy with United in 2008, suggested that Arsenal had regressed compared to last season and questioned their transfer strategy,

“I think they’ve gone further away from where they were last year. They’ve gone backwards,” Ferdinand remarked. 

He criticised Arsenal’s failure to sign a true centre-forward in the January transfer window, arguing that relying on Kai Havertz or a converted midfielder was not enough to compete at the highest level.

His sentiment was backed by TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher, who was even more dismissive of Arsenal’s Champions League ambitions. 

Fletcher insisted that Arsenal were “miles off” from being serious contenders and suggested that their struggles extended even beyond European competitions, 

“I think they’re miles off winning a Premier League, never mind the Champions League,” he stated.

Despite Arsenal’s resounding victory over PSV, Ferdinand and Fletcher pointed to the immense challenge ahead. Should Arsenal progress, they could face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, with a potential semi-final against Liverpool or PSG looming. 

Meanwhile, the other half of the draw includes giants such as Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Inter Milan.

While Arsenal’s European ambitions remain alive, the skepticism from experienced figures like Ferdinand and Fletcher raises a challenging question, are the Gunners truly ready to compete with Europe’s elite, or is their journey destined to fall short? 

The coming weeks will provide the answer as Arteta’s side will look to prove the doubters wrong.

Rivals should be scared as Saka unveils major agenda for Arsenal

Previously, TheRadar reported that Arsenal’s effort toward claiming silverware saw a major boost as they secured a Carabao Cup semi-final spot with a hard-fought victory over Crystal Palace. 

Bukayo Saka came off the bench to provide a pivotal assist and later declared that the Gunners are “ready to compete for every trophy” this season.