AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta believes that upcoming Champions League knockout round opponents Arsenal are a “better team” than rivals Tottenham.

Nesta's Milan outfit will face off with the Gunners in the Champions League knockout stages on February 15 at the San Siro before travelling to the Emirates in their second leg encounter on March 6.

The match against Arsenal will be a tough one," Nesta was quoted as saying in an article from The Sun.

"They're a better team than Tottenham, who knocked us out last year."

"But they're a team within our reach and if we put ourselves in the right situation, we can go far."

"I think Milan can do better in the Champions League than we've done in recent years."

"But Barcelona are playing on another planet. Real Madrid have done everything to beat them without success."

Spurs famously dumped out the seven-time European kings from continental football last season after claiming a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate victory against the latter in the knockout stages.