Which is a greater achievement; winning the treble or going the whole season unbeaten like theArsenalInvincibles of 2003-04?
It is a debate which divides supporters and has been reignited withManchester Cityon the cusp of becoming only the second English team to claim the Premier League, FA Cup andChampions Leaguein a single season.
Both are remarkable feats, but what do players in theArsenalside of 19 years ago think?
“To be Һօɴєȿτ, the treble,” saysLauren, who played a pivotal role in theArsenalteam that went unbeaten under Arsene Wenger.
“This is something that, in my opinion, was the only thing that our generation atArsenalcouldn’t manage to do.
“Winning the title without losing any games is something amazing, but winning the Champions League is something extraordinary.
“Every year we remember that [unbeaten] season, it comes to our mind that we could not manage to win the Champions League. So, therefore Һօɴєȿτly, I believe that the treble is bigger than that.”
Lauren won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups in seven years atArsenaland was in the team that lost the 2006 Champions League final to Barcelona.
It is the 2003-04 season that he looks back on with regret when it comes to the Champions League.Arsenalwere knocked out by Chelsea in the quarter-finals as Jose Mourinho’s Porto went on to be crowned European champions.
“We managed to play in the final against Barcelona, but we didn’t have the experience you need,” says Lauren, speaking on behalf ofStake Review on Casino.Guide.
“Pep Guardiola has won the Champions League with Barcelona, he has been coaching Champions League games every year with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and nowCity.
“Last year, they got knocked out by Real Madrid. They studied Real Madrid this year and managed to beat them. So you need both top players and to play every single year in the Champions League to have the experience to compete and try to win it.
“If you take our Invincibles squad, we didn’t play as long in this competition. We didn’t have that kind of experience. We were very strong in the domestic competitions, but we didn’t have that kind of experience playing every single year in the Champions League.
“We did an unbelievable season winning the Premier League unbeaten. The two years before we won the League at Old Trafford.
“We were the best team, but the fact that we didn’t win the Champions League is in the mind of the majority ofArsenalplayers from that generation.”
