Inter defender Manuel Akanji described Tuesday’s opponents Arsenal as one of the best teams in Europe, but argued the Gunners still have work to do before being recognised as the undisputed best.
Arsenal are enjoying a thoroughly successful campaign, sitting seven points clear in the Premier League title race and comfortably at the top of the Champions League standings as the only side to win all six of their previous outings this season.
Next to test Arsenal’s perfect European streak will be Inter, who host the Gunners at San Siro on Tuesday. The Nerazzurri are sixth in the table and looking to aid their bid for automatic qualification. Akanji, on loan at Inter from Arsenal’s domestic rivals Manchester City, could not resist teasing Mikel Arteta’s side before kick-off.
“I think Arsenal are among the best teams in Europe,” he began. “For me they’re not the very best, but they are certainly among the top sides, so it will be a great challenge, but we’re ready.”
Inter have history on their side, having beaten Arsenal at this stage of the competition just 12 months ago. Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty got the job done in a 1–0 victory which was far more complicated for Inter than the scoreline might suggest.
Akanji: Team Performance Can Seal Another Victory
“It’s hard to compare with last year because I wasn’t here,” Akanji admitted when asked about the challenges of last season’s fixture.
“Arsenal are a strong team and they score a lot, especially from set pieces. In Europe, you always face top attacking players: Atlético [Madrid] and Liverpool also had very strong forwards. We’ll definitely have to stay focused.
“We’ll need to be clinical. When you play against top teams, every mistake can be punished, but the same applies to them. We have to be ruthless and clinical in front of goal, while also being tidy in possession. It won’t be easy, but we have to play as a team.”
Finally, Akanji was asked which sides he holds above Arsenal in his personal rankings of Europe’s finest. “For me, Bayern [Munich] are the strongest team in Europe right now,” he said. “They play great football, score a lot of goals and concede very few.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Sent Brutal Taunt Ahead of Huge Champions League Showdown .
