Julien Laurens has backed Arsenal to bounce back from their heartbreaking Champions League final defeat and conquer Europe in the coming years.
The Gunners suffered a devastating 4-3 penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskás Aréna after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
While the night belonged to Luis Enrique’s side, who secured back-to-back European crowns, Laurens insists that the future remains incredibly bright for Mikel Arteta’s newly-crowned Premier League champions.
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Arsenal’s Champions League win is inevitable
Reflecting on the dramatic conclusion in Budapest, the prominent football pundit was full of praise for the French giants but remained absolute in his conviction about Arsenal’s upward trajectory under Arteta.
“What Luis Enrique has done in the last two years is simply unbelievable,” Laurens stated on BBC Radio 5 Live at the Puskas Arena after watching PSG retain the famous trophy.
“It is cruel for Arsenal fans right now, but it is inevitable that this club will win the Champions League.”
Laurens pointed to the structural stability, elite squad age profile, and tactical identity instilled by Arteta as reasons why the North London side will remain a dominant force in Europe.
Rather than a psychological collapse, he views this defeat as a necessary stepping stone for a young squad that just broke a 22-year domestic title drought.
How most teams have won the Champions League after losing finals
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
History heavily supports Laurens’ bold claim. For many of football’s greatest modern dynasties, suffering ultimate heartbreak in a Champions League final was the final catalyst required to unlock European glory.
Losing a final, or even multiple, often precedes a period of continental dominance.
Bayern Munich: Lost the agonizing 1999 final to Manchester United…
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