Wenger: We have no fear of facing English rivals in Europe
Wenger: We have no fear of facing English rivals in Europe
Wednesday, 10, Mar 2010 12:18
By Lewis Bazley.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted the Gunners are unconcerned with the identity of their Champions League quarter-final opponents after sailing past Porto.
The north London side overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit in convincing fashion at the Emirates Stadium with a Nicklas Bendtner hat-trick and goals from Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue in an emphatic 5-0 win.
Arsenal could potentially face Premier League title rivals Manchester United or Chelsea in the last eight of Europe's premier club competition but Wenger stressed his team will be up to the challenge.
"If we say we absolutely do not want to play an English team, we put ourselves in an inferior position at the start," he explained.
"Maybe it is a good opportunity, if we get them, to show we can do well. If I have a choice, I would say yes, but I do not have a choice.
"If we get them, we cannot do worse than we did in the championship - we can only do better.
"We will take the draw we get and also we do not have to make a negative obsession of not playing against Chelsea or Manchester United."
Wenger said the manner of his side's 6-2 aggregate win showed the Gunners have "mental strength, we have good desire and good quality".
"I believe it is more important on our side to continue to improve - there are still some weak moments in the game we can deal with better, so before we talk about Barcelona or Manchester United it is important we continue to improve, then we have a chance," he added.