Jamie Carragher U-turns on Arsenal Champions League prediction

Jamie Carragher has U-turned on backing Arsenal to win the Champions League this season after Mikel Arteta’s side reached the semi-final on Wednesday night.

Arsenal had a 1-0 advantage over Sporting CP from their first leg in Lisbon last week and in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium, a goalless draw was enough to secure their place in the final four of the competition where they will play Atletico Madrid.

In the other semi-final, Paris Saint-Germain will meet Bayern Munich after Vincent Kompany’s side sealed a 4-3 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.

Before the start of the Champions League last-16 matches last month, Carragher predicted that Arsenal would beat PSG in the final in Budapest on May 30.

However, the former Liverpool and England defender now believes Arsenal’s lack of a ‘star’ player across their attack will end their hopes of winning the Champions League this season.

‘I’m not sure they’ve got the quality in the attack,’ Carragher told CBS Sports.

‘The game we just watched tonight, you think of the players on both teams, Arsenal don’t have that.

‘It’s not a criticism, they just don’t have those players in attack, they haven’t.

‘So, that’s why I think when you get to the business end of the season, certainly in the Champions League… even though I tipped Arsenal to win it, I just don’t believe it.

‘I can’t see a team winning the Champions League who don’t have a star in the front four, and they haven’t got one.’

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