The former Dutch international’s comments come in the wake of a dramatic and high-scoring encounter between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, a nine-goal thriller widely labelled a Champions League classic.
However, Seedorf was critical of the defensive frailties shown by both sides in that match, suggesting such vulnerabilities could prove costly at the highest level.
In contrast, he highlighted Arsenal’s ability to keep opponents from scoring as a key advantage, particularly in tightly contested knockout ties.
Arsenal are set to face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, with the first leg scheduled for Wednesday night at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital. The fixture presents a stern test against a side renowned for its own defensive discipline.
Seedorf’s prediction hinges on Arsenal overcoming Atletico across the two legs. Should they progress, he believes their defensive organisation could give them the edge needed to secure European football’s most prestigious club trophy.
“Clean sheets were always sacred for goalkeepers and we have seen a team like Arsenal making the difference this year having so many clean sheets and coming all the way,” Seedorf told Amazon Prime.
“If I had to point out one team now that would be capable of bringing it home because of that capacity, it is actually Arsenal.
“From a spectacle point of view, yes it’s great but once upon a time also defending was an art and was appreciated and it has to be apart of the game.
“Tell me one sport you can win without a proper defence? I don’t think it exists.
“Looking at the characteristic of the team, Arsenal is capable of doing this. Atletico Madrid are also capable of doing the things I am saying and they have a good attack eventually.
“Probably less in volume, Arsenal have more difficult in scoring goals than these two teams but they just need one because they know how to defend a zero eventually and that can make a difference.”
