One pundit wanted to cancel Arsenal v Atletico mid game: 'Make Bayern vs PSG the Champions League final!'

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Content writer covering football, formula 1 and movies

The nine-goal thriller between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich last week left football fans hugely entertained and it was always going to be hard to follow with Arsenal versus Atletico Madrid, two teams who pride themselves on solidity.

PSG defeated Bayern 5-4 and the return leg of that tie takes place tonight at the Allianz Arena. The winner will go on to face Arsenal in the Champions League final after the Gunners squeezed through the other semi-final after a 2-1 aggregate win against Atletico.

They won 1-0 on the night thanks to a close-range finish from Bukayo Saka.

Like the first leg, it wasn't the entertainment spectacular of PSG versus Bayern. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Atletico set themselves up with 11 men behind the ball and looked to counter, while Arsenal were desperately slow in their build-up play and constantly sent the ball back where it came from.

As soon as a pass was played into midfield, Atletico players surrounded the Arsenal player with the ball, and they more often than not played it back into defensive space.

In the first half, Arsenal had two shots on target to Atletico's zero, and in the second half, Atletico had two to Arsenal's zero.

While some perceived purists may have enjoyed some of the defending on show, the attacking play was lacklustre and one pundit, Wesley Sneijder, was certainly not a fan.

While on broadcasting duties for the game, he joked that he wanted to call UEFA midway through the game to demand that PSG and Bayern be made Champions League finalists.

"I wanted to call UEFA after 35 minutes to cancel the game," he said, facetiously.

"To make them tell the players to leave the pitch and announce Bayern Munich vs PSG as the Champions League final.

"Watching Arsenal against Atletico Madrid didn't feel like a Champions League semi-final. It lacked intensity, creativity and real quality in the final third.

"In the final, I find it very hard to imagine them troubling a team like PSG or Bayern Munich. Based on what we saw tonight, it would be an easy win for either of them.

"At this level, you expect drama and top-class soccer, but this was far from that."

The Dutchman, who won the Champions League with Inter in 2010, did reserve praise for Mikel Arteta, however.

"This gentleman... I can't say it often enough, people. But he deserves a statue already," he said.

"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."

Whoever wins between Bayern and PSG, the final will be an interesting clash in styles with the swashbuckling attacking play of one of those two teams versus the solid composure of Arsenal.