Arsenal defender plays down bold claim ahead of PSG showdown
Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League ended as Liverpool were crowned champions, prompting the team to shift focus to the Champions League where they will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, their first since 2009. The team's confidence is high after a dominant quarter-final victory over reigning champions Real Madrid, with an aggregate score of 5-1. William Saliba, praised as one of the best center backs in the world, remains humble and acknowledges room for improvement despite recent errors that led to goals against Real Madrid and Crystal Palace. His performance has been crucial to Arsenal's strong defensive record, having conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League this season. As Arsenal prepares for the first leg against PSG, former player Martin Keown has cautioned them to remain vigilant and avoid costly mistakes.
Arsenal's Premier League aspirations were dashed by Liverpool's victory, marking the third consecutive season they finish second, shifting their focus to the Champions League semi-final against PSG.
Their confidence surged after a commanding performance against Real Madrid, securing a 5-1 aggregate win, showcasing their defensive resilience and clinical execution.
Despite being touted as the world's best center back, William Saliba humbly downplayed the accolade, recognizing his potential for further improvement.
Saliba's partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes has been pivotal in Arsenal's defense, contributing to their league-best record of conceding just 29 goals.
Recent mistakes by Saliba, leading to goals against Real Madrid and Crystal Palace, highlight areas for improvement as they approach the PSG clash.
Former Arsenal player Martin Keown has advised the team to stay alert and avoid errors in the critical semi-final against PSG, which will take place at Parc des Princes.
Arsenal's defensive strength and Saliba's role are key elements as they aim to advance past PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Arsenal saw their hopes of winning the Premier League get shattered as Liverpool were crowned champions after they hammered Tottenham Hotspur.
While they are all set to finish second in the league for the third time in three seasons, the Gunners have shifted their focus to the Champions League as a crucial week awaits the North London outfit.
Arsenal are gearing up to face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final of the Champions League. It will be their first semi-final since 2009.
Mikel Arteta's men gained a lot of confidence after they knocked out reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarter-final. They did not only beat Los Blancos but dominated both the games and finished with an aggregate score of 5-1.
The North Londoners showed great defensive resilience and were extremely clinical in the quarter-final. Their victories over Real Madrid have given them and their fans an added momentum and belief that this may well be their year.
However, building up to the first leg of the semi-final against PSG, William Saliba was often labelled as the best center back in the world courtesy of some of his exceptional performances this season.
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What did William Saliba say about the claim?
Despite hearing extremely flattering praise about his game, the Frenchman has deflected the claims of him being the best in his position.
The 24-year-old has played down the label as he told Telefoot, "I think I am one of the best, but not yet the best defender in the world. I can still become much better one day, I hope to improve."
Saliba is easily one of the best defenders in the world right now. This is one of the reasons why Real Madrid have been long admirers of the French international.
He has developed a great partnership with teammate Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the Arsenal defence. His inclusion has benefitted Arteta's team as they have conceded the least goals in the Premier League this season (29).
Despite all his talent, Saliba made a couple of errors in the last few games. Firstly, he gave the ball away cheaply in the second leg against Real Madrid, which resulted in Vinicius Jr. scoring. He repeated the same error against Crystal Palace as Jean-Philippe Mateta took advantage of this time.
Former Arsenal player Martin Keown was not happy with similar mistakes and warned the players to stay alert in the crucial clash against Luis Enrique's PSG. The first leg will be played at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.