Arsene Wenger is backing Arsenal's under-19s to reach the final of the Uefa Youth League.
Steve Gatting's team reached the quarter-finals last week with a 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk and now face a mouthwatering trip to Barcelona in the last eight.
Wenger watched the win against the Ukrainian side from the stands at Meadow Park and he liked what he saw.
"Our team deserves a lot of credit because they won against a very good side"
Arsene Wenger
"I would like to congratulate them because first of all it was a very enjoyable game," Wenger told Arsenal Player. "I planned to leave a bit before the end but I had difficulties to get out because I enjoyed so much to watch the two teams play.
"It shows that it is the right decision to organise this type of competition.
"I would like to give credit to Shakhtar Donetsk, they played very well. Our team deserves a lot of credit because they won against a very good side."
Arsenal reached the last four of the NextGen Series last year and Wenger thinks the squad will have the experience to go one step further this time.
"I believe they can go to the final," he said. "We are similar now to last season because we still have Olsson, Bellerin and Gnabry.
"The basis of the team is still there and we look like we have the physical power and the penetrative power to make a difference."
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