Arsenal silently proved they are Champions League favourites after all

Everybody loved watching the 5-4 thriller between PSG and Bayern Munich last night. Arsenal fans had one reason to enjoy it, and that was seeing former Tottenham striker Harry Kane try his hardest but fail.

Other than that, it was a game filled with everything the Emirates faithful learned to hate: exciting football. Or at least that's what those critics who have never watched an Arsenal game will tell you.

No matter which way you looked at it, the semifinal last night left a lot for tonight's game to live up to, but, more importantly, it proved why Arsenal are the silent favourites to go out and win the thing for the first time.

Clarence Seedorf said the quiet Arsenal truth out loud

After watching the historic, record-breaking game yesterday, all eyes were on the attack. However, Clarence Seedorf, who was always proud of his defensive acumen as a midfielder, placed question marks against the goalkeepers.

"Ask the goalkeepers if they’re happy," said Seedorf. "They are not happy, a clean sheet was always sacred for goalkeepers."

"We have seen a team like Arsenal making that difference this year, having so many clean sheets and coming all the way. So if I had to point out one team now, that would be capable to actually bring it home because of that capacity, actually it’s Arsenal."

Nobody wants to admit it, but Arsenal have been effective this season. It feels like a pundit praising Arsenal publicly is inviting the pitchforks and torches, but game recognises game. Clarence Seedorf knows better than most that defending is the most important side when it comes to winning titles.

Arsenal has a Champions League wildcard that no other team can match

Arsenal have what no other team have, other than tonight's opponents, and that's a solid defence capable of seeing a game out without conceding.

No other goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets than David Rayain the Champions League this season. In fact, the Spaniard is in a league of his own with eight clean sheets, the second most being a measly 6 by relegation-fodder Vicario.

So, yes, less than 24 hours after watching one of the most exciting games of football we've ever seen, we are turning our attention to defending. Mikel Arteta would be proud.

Arsenal can compete against PSG or Bayern Munich

Look, the competition is strong, but it's nothing Arsenal can't fend off. They've been there before, and they would welcome being there again.

Arsenal proved at the start of this season that they can compete against Bayern Munich. It feels like a lifetime ago, but it was in that game that the Bavarians proved how bad they were at defending, something that Arsenal can certainly exploit if they're at their best.

Arsenal lost against PSG last season; it was the Parisians they knocked the Gunners out of the Champions League. However, to say Arsenal couldn't hold their own across the two legs would be unfair. They more than certainly held their own, and it was only due to Gianluigi Donnarumma (who isn't there anymore) that the Gunners were shut out.

It would be Arsenal's first-ever Champions League win, so naturally, nobody other than Arsenal rates their chances. However, that could be of benefit to Arsenal. Everybody knows we crumble when the bets are placed in our favour, so let's keep them hedged against us for as long as possible.

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