Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell is backing Unai Emery's side to go all the way in Europe this season.
With the north Londoners faltering in the league, with three defeats in the last eight days, the first leg of the last four against Valencia at the Emirates tonight (Thursday) takes on added significance for the Gunners.
It offers another potential route into the Champions League next season, with Arsenal now two points behind Chelsea in the race to finish in the top four in the league.
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And Campbell, who grabbed the winner in the semi-final of the 1994 Cup Winners Cup against PSG on a passionate night under the floodlights at Highbury 25 years ago this month, is convinced the Gunners will emerge with continental silverware this term.
Speaking exclusively to football.london Campbell said: "I think Unai Emery’s got a real chance of doing something in this season’s Europa League. I hope so because it is also a route back into the Champions League.
"Yes, he has made a couple of mistakes but I still think Unai Emery has had a very good first season at Arsenal.
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"He’s had to deal with a lot. He’s had to deal with a lot of injuries. He’s had to deal with constant speculation about Mesut Ozil and his place in the side and people questioning him about the indifferent form that the player has shown over the season.
"I think Arsenal can win the Europa League."
If Arsenal get past Valencia over two legs Chelsea or Eintract Frankfurt await in the showpiece final in the Azerbaijan capital Baku on Wednesday, May 29 in a bid to lift the third European trophy in the club's history.
Bertie Mee's Gunners won the forerunner to the UEFA Cup/Europa League by beating Anderlecht over two legs in the 1969-70 European Fairs Cup.
Against all odds George Graham's solid Arsenal side claimed the European Cup Winners Cup 25 years ago at the Parken Stadium against a star-studded Parma team in a match many fans have dubbed 'The Miracle of Copenhagen'.
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And Campbell still has fond recollections of that cup run and triumph.
"I have a lot of good memories about playing in European competition," he said.
"I remember our European Cup Winners Cup run and victory in 1994. I can’t believe it’s 25 years in May.
"I scored the winner in the semi-final second leg at home to PSG. I wasn’t even supposed to be playing. I think Merse [Paul Merson] was supposed to be playing but he got ill. So George Graham put me in the team. He said: ‘Listen, I trust you.’ I said I’m glad you do.
"I ended up getting the winner. It was the stuff dreams are made of. I think that run shows the importance of European competition to Arsenal and I think it’s still the last European trophy the club have won.
"Highbury under the lights was special. They were special nights back at Highbury."
Kevin Campbell was speaking to Layth Yousif in association with FansBet and Islington Bar and Grill.
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