Thierry Henry believes his former side Arsenal will gain a new confidence that they can go all the way in the Champions League after the 7-1 rout of PSV Eindhoven.
The Gunners blew their Dutch hosts out of the water on Tuesday night, registering the highest ever score in a single away leg by any team in Champions League history with their demolition job.
Much of the discourse had been where the goals might come from with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both out for the season, alongside the injuries to Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
Needless to say, though, that after seven strikes from six different scorers, Mikel Arteta's side have goals running right the way through them.
Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard (twice), Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori were all on target in a massive result for the Gunners, which sees them almost certain to make the last eight, where they will face a huge clash with either Real or Atletico Madrid.
As such, with a much more difficult task on the horizon in the quarter-finals, Henry insisted confident that his old side could use the result to reaffirm to themselves that they have what it takes to win the competition.
'Yes, they can. I do believe that, this is why I called it. I'm just saying now, show us that you can do that against a good team, with people that are coming back,' he said on CBS Sports Golazo when asked if Arsenal could challenge one of the Spanish giants.
'No disrespect to Eindhoven, I really thought it was going to be difficult, especially away from home but they made it look easy. I think they had an outstanding game as you can see with the result.
'But, we all know that the [Premier] League is over. Apart if something crazy happens but what I'm trying to say is that this game can help maybe to be confident in this competition but (also) the game that you have after, Real Madrid or Atletico.
'Sometimes I think the path to the final can at times help or not, but if you want to win the competition you have to go through these teams.'
With the Premier League all but Liverpool's already, Arsenal's only chance at silverware is the Champions League this term, having also been knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
For all their improvement under Arteta since the start of his reign, they have still only won one FA Cup, finishing runners up in the top-flight the last two seasons.
Yet, to win the Champions League they will have to beat the best sides in Europe with their hands tied behind their backs, given the lack of a striker.
The Gunners have not been to a Champions League final since 2006 when they lost to Barcelona, and have only made one semi-final since then.
However Tuesday's win gives them the platform to make just a fourth Champions League quarter-final in 20 years, where they will take on either 15-time winners Real or Diego Simeone's in-form Atletico Madrid, with Real beating their arch rivals 2-1 in Tuesday's first leg.
Arteta himself noted that the result had given his side plenty of 'confidence', unsurprisingly given the seven goals they scored, as many as their previous five games combined.
'I really enjoyed the match. Thank you to the players for the performance that they put in. It was a big night for us against a really good side,' he said.
'The way they (PSV) went through in the last round against Juventus (4-3 on aggregate) was really impressive. The manner that we've done it, the way we played, the goals that we scored. Thank you because it was a special night.
'It's obviously given us a lot of joy, confidence and belief. In football, it's not what we did three days ago or today, it's going to be what we do tomorrow.'
When asked if he had seen seven goals coming, he quipped, 'I knew it was coming', before adding: 'No. That's the beauty of it. Nobody in this room if I give you an envelope and say, "Can you predict what's going to happen tomorrow and who is going to score?" [would predict that], that's the beauty of football.
'You do very well today, put your head down, be humble, analyse how you can improve because the next game is going to be completely different to this one, and nobody can write the script, unfortunately, even if we would like to.'
Nicbclsu
0
ajax beat Madrid, Chelsea have beaten Madrid several times
arsenal na Ajax or Chelsea?
lbcrna
0
Arsernal winning UCL !pls god don't answer this prayer
AbSixers
0
confidence to beat Madrid 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
ajax beat Madrid, Chelsea have beaten Madrid several times
Kedanruz
0
😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 Henry is losing his mind
dazcdirtuz
0
I'm Arsenal fan but there is no way we gonna win a champions league especially this one when you have no striker available. we will be out by next round
imagine meeting realmadrid with no striker available. they will beat the hell out of us and our story of next season will continue [Crylaugh]
dazcdirtuz
1
I'm Arsenal fan but there is no way we gonna win a champions league especially this one when you have no striker available. we will be out by next round
dannie17
0
These pundits can be funny....So arsenal's victory over PSV means they can go and win CL? My fada My fada
dannie17
0
These pundits can be funny....
Nosadlmrty
2
Jealous go killed some mutd fan’s don’t worry we playing on Sunday just sharappp
Nosadlmrty
0
Let’s go the gunners nth can stop us from this ucl except Allah
dobdklntuz
1
Our enemies in progress please wish us good luck to do the work for you like the way we support you when you reach at this level.
Vaecimprst
0
haha, 🤣🤣🤣 Arsenal just joy this moment of time because facing the defending champions league Real Madrid it won't be easy at all.... Surely Real Madrid going to trash Arsenal...
Go and do your research well, Real Madrid has never won a match against Arsenal in 5 meetings
Zero-Shot-on-Target
0
mind you, real Madrid have never scored a goal nor win Arsenal in their entire life after 4 games
How many times have they meet? Just once and you're here ranting
Yeobdeiopr
2
Tell Real Madrid Liverpool and Salah will be waiting for you when you Finnish with Arsenal
Yeobdeiopr
0
That's what a big team like Arsenal should do. Not making silly excuses about injured players.Those available should cover up for the injured.Thats why they have many players imagine Rahim sterling is on the bench. Score goals and stop saying Liverpool is lucky
ngc3bo
0
real Madrid as never beating arsenal b4
Ok
jehbdintyz
0
dreaming when you wake up Arsnal will be the same Arsenal under Atteta
Uazii
1
Manchester united supporters really hate Arsenal, please let us enjoy the moment until it ends, stop wishing us bad luck, Real Madrid was batter then this current one when beat them is 2006 semi final, why can't we beat them now.
zeydeklmtu
3
I think Asernal have already qualified for quarter finals but thats where the story ends
feuloprsuz
0
How about last time. Bayern Munich 8- Barcelona 2
The last time they meet it was 4:1 how about that 🤣🤣🤣. Even arsenal could not beat their worst team. You played psv kid relax 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Joyadkopuz
1
much talkative,, master,,hala Madrid
Joabdilorz
3
nobody expect arsenal to do that but to me it's good to appreciate them for that performance. Mark my words arsenal is different when it comes handling big teams so arsenal are capable of doing anything my good haters arsenal even if it is Madrid they have done that several times.
Nicbclsu
0
stop thinking like a little boy, winning always give team confidence and that is what Henry is saying
confidence to beat Madrid 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Jupbilmsy
1
talking master ,let them meet madrrid
Jibdklnoty
0
They must pray for Atletico coz they can't beat Real Madrid
real Madrid as never beating arsenal b4
EddyJoel
0
They must pray for Atletico coz they can't beat Real Madrid
Atletico will even perform well than real Madrid if is against Arsenal
EddyJoel
2
haha, 🤣🤣🤣 Arsenal just joy this moment of time because facing the defending champions league Real Madrid it won't be easy at all.... Surely Real Madrid going to trash Arsenal...
mind you, real Madrid have never scored a goal nor win Arsenal in their entire life after 4 games
princewize
4
haha, 🤣🤣🤣 Arsenal just joy this moment of time because facing the defending champions league Real Madrid it won't be easy at all.... Surely Real Madrid going to trash Arsenal...
princewize
2
How about last time. Bayern Munich 8- Barcelona 2
Kuadmopr
2
remember real Madrid is at your door step
AbSixers
1
when they win one match why arsenal always talk like they own everything??be humble guys be humble
stop thinking like a little boy, winning always give team confidence and that is what Henry is saying
Vieaeklmtz
3
Until the meet the king of Europe-Real Madrid
ngc3bo
4
They must pray for Atletico coz they can't beat Real Madrid
lungoulenhkip
3
when they win one match why arsenal always talk like they own everything??be humble guys be humble
Ritbcemnot
5
when you get past real Madrid.. then you have a 50% chance of claiming it... but otherwise stay humble
Niucikmpru
2
Dream won't become reality
lupbknorsu
1
Stay Humble, its a good advice