"I am sorry, you have to cross" - Thierry Henry unhappy with Arsenal and Chelsea target for key moment in UCL final
France legend Thierry Henry has slammed Arsenal and Chelsea target Lautaro Martinez for his performance during Inter Milan's Champions League final defeat against Manchester City last night (June 10).
The Argentina international was guilty of missing a clear-cut chance in the second half of the encounter, which could have possibly changed the complexion of the game. The Nerrazuri eventually went on to lose 1-0 to Pep Guardiola's side.
Rodri's 68th-minute strike from outside of the box was enough to secure a hard-fought victory for the English champions, making sure they ended the 2022-23 campaign with a historic treble.
TREBLE WINNERS! 🏆🏆🏆
#ManCity | #UCLfinal https://t.co/wW693HFoH6
City, however, were fortunate that Inter Milan weren't able to take advantage of the numerous chances that came their way.
The Nerrazuri had a total of five shots on target, as against four from City, with shot-stopper Ederson keeping out a number of efforts from the Inter players.
One of the moments from the game was a big miss from Martinez, who had the opportunity of laying a simple pass to on-rushing teammates. However, the Argentine opted to go for glory, and had his attempt saved by Ederson.
Pep Guardiola after Inter Milan nearly opened the scoring in the Champions League final 😳 https://t.co/1NoIwdX3VP
Martinez's decision was heavily criticized by Arsenal legend Henry, who said that the Argentine should have crossed the ball to any of his teammates in sight. Speaking about the missed opportunity on CBS Sports, Henry said:
"I will go back to the one with Lautaro Martinez, I am sorry, you have to cross. Not only one time, two times, three times, four times and five times. The only solution you have is to cross. It would have been a different game, now he has to sleep with that one."
He added:
"Akanji let the ball go thinking the goalkeeper was going to get it – If Martinez recomposed himself and you really take your time to see Brozovic at the top of the box. Lukaku is with Ruben Dias, so it’s difficult to play him. If he kept his composure, then he would have seen Brozovic and it’s a tap-in. It is a tap-in."
"But he decided he had to score and not Inter Milan had to score. You don’t always have to score, the team has to score. Pep (Guardiola) was on his knees praying."
Could Lautaro Martinez's UCL performance affect his chances of joining Arsenal or Chelsea this summer?
Premier League powerhouses Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with Lautaro Martinez, and both teams would have probably kept a close eye on the Inter Milan striker's performance in the Champions League final last night.
Martinez went into the UCL final having scored 28 goals during the 2022-23 campaign, making him the club's top scorer.
However, when his team needed him the most, Martinez wasn't able to rise to the occasion and rather was guilty of missing a clear goal-scoring chance in the second half of the game.
It's left to be seen as to whether his Champions League final display will put off transfer interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, who are reportedly keen on his signature this summer.