THE QUOTE
“It’s 25 years of my life coming together. It’s a bit strange
but on the other hand my target is to go through to the
quarter-finals and just to focus on that. I want to do well
and I want to just play the game.” - Arsène Wenger
THE SET UP
For a man who has always preferred to look forward than
hark back, the past few days must have been somewhat
trying for Arsène Wenger.
As soon as the draw for the last 16 of the Champions
League was made back in December, the narrative was writ
large. This was to be a long-awaited reunion between the
Frenchman and the club where he had such success in his
formative managerial years.
Wenger pre-Monaco

The noise only grew louder as the game appeared on the
horizon, and reached its crescendo on Tuesday in his pre-
match press conference. Wenger was constantly ushered
down memory lane, repeatedly being asked to recall his
time in the principality.
Naturally, he took it with good grace - after all, this is just
the sideshow before the main event. But when asked to
reflect on previous exits at the last-16 stage, and whether
Arsenal had been given an “easier” draw this year, the glint
of steely determination soon appeared.
“On paper Barcelona are a stronger team than Monaco -
maybe [against Man City] you will be surprised how weak
they are,” he said. “It’s always a question of circumstances
as well.
“In terms of potential, of course Barcelona and Bayern are
the favourites but we have to deal with what we get. We
didn’t do that very well in the last four years so we have an
opportunity to do better now.
“I am professional, I am competitive and as much as I
respect Monaco I am focused on doing my job well. I give
my best to win the game, respect for your opponents means
you give your best. We feel as a team that we are on the
way up and we can use the Champions League to confirm
that.”
ARSENAL
The manager has compelling evidence to back up his belief
that Arsenal are a team on the rise.
The climax to Saturday’s victory at Crystal Palace may
have been uncomfortable, but the result maintained an
encouraging run of form that has seen them win 15 of their
past 19 matches.
They are hard-fought games in the Champions League
and we need to be ready mentally to go as far as we
can
Arsène Wenger
Arsenal four Champions League matches at Emirates
Stadium this season have seen Wenger's side score 10
times - an average of 2.5 per game - and they have never
conceded to a French side at home in this competition.
But having lost at the last-16 stage four years in
succession - albeit it against Barcelona, AC Milan and
Bayern Munich (twice) - Wenger is well aware of the danger
that lies in store.
His side may be favourites to progress this time, but the
manager insists they will have to be at full capacity to
defeat a Monaco team with the best defensive record in the
competition.
“What I take from our recent performances is that we can be
confident because we won our games and we had the right
commitment and the right spirit in the side to be confident,”
said Wenger.
“But of course you know they are hard-fought games in the
Champions League and we need to be ready mentally to
prepare ourselves to go as far as we can on the
concentration level.”
THE OPPOSITION
Arsenal will expect to be firmly on the front foot against
opponents who have averaged the least possession in the
Champions League this season (48 per cent) and who only
scored four times in the group stage.
Yet, with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Anthony Martial,
Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Joao Moutinho in the
Monaco ranks, there is no shortage of attacking threat to
contend with.
I expect a tight game on Wednesday, because Monaco
finished top of their group and are a team who have
made results by not conceding goals
Arsène Wenger
Allied to a defensive frugality that saw them concede just
once in six group-stage matches, it highlights the task that
awaits the Gunners on Wednesday night.
“They started in an offensive style and have very recently
gone for more stability in defence,” Wenger said. “They won
many games 1-0 and went through a dodgy period in
September and October.
“Since November, they are very consistent with their results
and it looked until their recent defeat at Guingamp like they
were coming back strongly even to fight for the
championship.
“I expect a tight game on Wednesday, because Monaco
finished top of their group and are a team who have made
results by not conceding goals. They are dangerous on the
counter-attacks, especially with Carrasco, who is very
quick.
“They have a good technical midfield with Moutinho,
Toulalan, Silva - and they have Berbatov up front, who can
still create a difference in the box.”
SUMMING UP
The prospect of a meeting between the two major clubs of
his managerial life may have excited the media, but for
Wenger it is peripheral to the main objective: going deep in
a competition he would love to win above all others.
“It’s 25 years of my life coming together. It’s a bit strange
but on the other hand my target is to go through to the
quarter-final and just to focus on that,” he said.
“For us it’s an opportunity and we have the first game at
home. That means it will be important to find the balance
between attacking and defending.
“We have played one [Champions League] final, two semi-
finals, four quarter finals and that is what you want to do:
go to the end and win it.
“If you look around you, you know only one thing - let’s do
it step by step because if you look at the teams who are
competing they are the reason it is difficult. So let’s just try
to do the next game and go into that with belief and humility
and give everything we can.”


what's your prediction?

I expect a tough game just as I expect Arsenal to win 3-0 #COYG