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  "path": "/2026/04/08/thierry-henry-makes-arsenal-champions-league-claim-reveals-biggest-weakness-27893429/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-08T06:28:32.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Arsenal",
    "Champions League",
    "Mikel Arteta",
    "Premier League",
    "Sporting Lisbon",
    "Thierry Henry",
    "beating Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday night",
    "Manchester City",
    "Carabao Cup",
    "FA Cup",
    "courtesy of Kai Havertz’s injury-time winner",
    "the brilliant David Raya",
    "Sign up to our daily football newsletter",
    "CBS Sports",
    "pic.twitter.com/LF9EnQutnw",
    "April 7, 2026",
    "return to Premier League action against Bournemouth",
    "check our sport page",
    "Facebook",
    "Twitter",
    "Instagram",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source",
    "@footballontnt"
  ],
  "textContent": "Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (Picture: CBS Sports)\n\nThierry Henry believes Arsenal are ‘the most solid’ team in the Champions League but fears the team’s biggest weakness could prevent them from winning the competition.\n\nMikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders have one foot in the semi-finals after beating Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday night.\n\nArsenal had lost back-to-back games for the first time this season going into the Champions League quarter-finals, losing to title rivals Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and Championship side Southampton in the FA Cup.\n\nArteta was ‘very happy’ to see his team get back to winning ways out in Lisbon courtesy of Kai Havertz’s injury-time winner and take a one-goal lead back for next week’s return leg at the Emirates Stadium.\n\nA clean sheet produced by the brilliant David Raya against Sporting means Arsenal have now conceded just five goals in 11 Champions League games this season.\n\nThe Gunners also boast by far the best defensive record in the Premier League – conceding 22 goals in 31 games – and Henry views his former club as ‘the most solid’ team in Europe.\n\nLegendary striker Henry is concerned about Arsenal up the other end of the pitch, however, and says a lack of creativity could be an ‘issue’ for Arteta as he chases a Premier League and Champions League double.\n\n##  Get personalised football updates every day\n\nSign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.\n\nKai Havertz earned Arsenal a narrow win (Picture: Getty)\n\nAsked to identify Arsenal’s biggest strength and weakness ahead of their quarter-final first-leg against Sporting on Tuesday night, Henry said on CBS Sports: ‘We know their biggest strength already, they are strong as a team and very solid.\n\n‘For me they are the most solid team in the Champions League. We also know about the set-pieces – people are crying about that but it’s a part of the game and a big advantage for Arsenal because they’re pretty good at it.\n\n‘But if the defence doesn’t work I don’t think we are creating enough at times to be able to hurt teams and that might be an issue.’\n\nMikel Arteta after Arsenal’s win over Sporting (Picture: Getty)\n\nSpeaking after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Portuguese champions Sporting, Henry added: ‘It’s better than coming back with a 0-0 obviously!\n\n‘There wasn’t much in the game or a lot of creativity but they did what they had to do. They won away from home, let’s see what happens at the Emirates.’\n\nThe European clash looked set to end in a stalemate before substitutes Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli combined to give Arsenal a late win.\n\n> Superb Kai Havertz 😮‍💨Brilliant play from Gabriel Martinelli and Havertz calmly slots home after a sublime first touch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LF9EnQutnw\n>\n> — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 7, 2026\n\n‘It’s been the story of the season, how important the finishers have been for us, to achieve what we want,’ Arteta said after the game.\n\n‘And today, all of them – Gabi came on and made a huge impact; Kai the same; Max the same. So we really need that, and we’re really happy with that.\n\n‘It’s very difficult to win away from home in the Champions League and certainly against a team that have won 16 games in a row at home, so that tells you what we’ve done.\n\nPOLL\n\nPoll\n\n### How far will Arsenal go in the Champions League?\n\n  * All the way!Check\n\n  * Runners-upCheck\n\n  * Semi-finalsCheck\n\n  * Quarter-finalsCheck\n\n\n\n\n‘We had moments where we were very, very dominant, and we had our chances, we lacked certain threat in and around the box – we needed to be more efficient and crisper with our last pass, and as well we needed David twice to make a save to help us to win.’\n\nAsked whether he feels the job is only half done ahead of the return leg in north London, Arteta added: ‘One hundred percent and the players know that.\n\n‘They know how tough it’s going to be now at Emirates Stadium, and we’ll be fully ready for that.\n\n‘The supporters were exceptional again, thank you so much for following all the way here, and being with the team. We’re very happy to give them the victory.’\n\nArsenal put their Champions League aspirations on hold this weekend as they return to Premier League action against Bournemouth.\n\nThe Gunners currently boast a nine-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.\n\n**For more stories like this, check our sport page**.\n\n**Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on**Facebook,** Twitter and Instagram**.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Thierry Henry makes Arsenal Champions League claim and reveals biggest weakness"
}