- 20 hours ago
Arsenal favourite Podolski tips Inter star to outshine Havertz
Tom Weber
- Updated: 5 Nov 2024 07:27 CST
- 3 min read
Lukas Podolski believes Arsenal will have the upper hand against Inter in the Champions League, but he is not convinced that Kai Havertz is the right player to lead the line for the Gunners.
Arsenal are heading into Wednesday's massive Champions League clash with Serie A champions Inter in disappointing form. Though captain Martin Odegaard has returned to training, it will be a big ask to snatch more than a point from Simone Inzaghi's well-drilled side.
Inter held Man City to a 0-0 draw earlier in the season and will look to repeat this trick against the Gunners. Ahead of the game, Gazzetta dello Sport spoke to Lukas Podolski, who played for both sides, to get his thoughts on the encounter.
READ MORE: Edu's first transfer after Arsenal exit revealed
The former Germany international, who will soon hang up his boots after a stint at Gornik Zabrze in Poland, was a fan favourite during his time at Arsenal and had a brief, six-month loan at Inter in 2015.
Compared
Marcus Thuram
F (C)
Inter
Marcus Thuram
F (C)
Inter
VS
Kai Havertz
F, M (C)
Arsenal
Kai Havertz
F, M (C)
Arsenal
2024/2025
Season Statistics
2024/2025
| 13 | Appearances | 15 |
| 5 | Assists | 1 |
| 8 | Goals | 7 |
Podolski picks Thuram over Havertz
Despite the recent form, Podolski believes that Arsenal will have the upper hand in the game and he raved about Mikel Arteta's side. “Arsenal have done great things in recent years,” he said. “They haven't won the Premier League, but they've played great football and continue to do so.
“It will be a top clash. It's not just a typical group stage match; it's worth much more. Inter is Inter. Inzaghi's philosophy is well known, but if I have to choose a style that captivates me, I prefer Arteta's. I love what he manages to convey when the Gunners play football.”
READ MORE: Arsenal star to follow Edu in quitting for Premier League rivals
One problem Arsenal might have, according to Podolski, is in the attacking department. The 39-year-old is still not convinced that Kai Havertz should be played as a striker and expressed his belief that Inter's Marcus Thuram will steal the show on Wednesday.
“Thuram - Arsenal don't have a striker like him. They have Havertz, it’s true, but he’s not a number 9. I’ve known [Thuram] since he played in Germany, but now he has become a real goal-scorer.
"It’s not easy to steal the spotlight from someone like Lautaro [Martinez]. Inzaghi doesn’t have any particular problems when setting up the team. That’s the level of Inter, to have two such strong strikers as starters.”
