Sneijder Tears Into Arsenal's Depth After Champions League Victory Over Atletico

Arsenal have booked their place in the Champions League final, but not everyone is convinced they possess the firepower to go all the way. Wesley Sneijder, for one, reckons their backline could do with considerable strengthening.

The Gunners dispatched Atletico Madrid 1-0 on the night—courtesy of Bukayo Saka's 44th-minute strike—to seal a 2-1 aggregate victory in their semi-final tie. Yet Sneijder's post-match analysis focused less on the triumph and more on the fragility of Arsenal's squad options, particularly at full-back.

Jurrien Timber missed the encounter through a groin injury, forcing Ben White to make his fourth consecutive start across all competitions. It was this enforced reshuffle that prompted Sneijder to deliver a withering assessment of the north Londoners' defensive credentials.

"You have Timber in your squad, and you think, 'that's a good full-back, he's going to help me'. Then he drops out for a long time and then you have to fit in White… Timber wouldn't even let him tie his shoelaces," Sneijder told Ziggo Sport.

The former Dutch international, however, wasn't entirely dismissive of Mikel Arteta's efforts. Rather, he framed Arsenal's final berth as a remarkable achievement given their limitations compared to rivals across England and Europe.

"Mikel Arteta cannot field two squads, other teams can. So I don't think that is justified," Sneijder explained. "For years, you have had Liverpool and City in England that you have to compete against. They have much better players. And in Europe, there are many even better players. He is simply doing an impressive job with his team."

Indeed, Sneijder was full of praise for Arteta's management, insisting the Arsenal boss deserves recognition for guiding such a relatively modest squad past the continent's elite. "I can't say it often enough, people, but he really deserves a statue already. With this team, it is so impressive to reach the final. Leaving all the other world-class teams behind you. I think that is very impressive."

The first half between the two sides drew particular criticism from Sneijder, who felt the tactical approach on display warranted intervention from above.

"I said after 35 minutes that UEFA needs to intervene. They need to call London, 'just get off the pitch, both of you, and the final will be played tomorrow'. We knew this was going to happen. Atletico in a block, dropping back, and Arsenal having a lot of possession," he remarked at the interval.

Arteta, speaking in his post-match press conference, reflected on the magnitude of the occasion and what it means for the club's trajectory.

"It's an incredible night. We made history again together. I cannot be happier and prouder of everyone involved in this football club," the manager said. "The manner that we got to see outside the stadium was special and unique. The atmosphere that our supporters created, the energy, the way they lived every ball with us, it made it special and unique. I never felt that in the stadium. We knew how much it meant to everybody."

He continued: "We put everything in, the boys did an incredible job. After 20 years and for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final."

Arsenal now await either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final, with Sneijder's assessment serving as a timely reminder that squad depth could prove decisive on the continent's grandest stage.