Wenger reaches 200th European game milestone (plus video from his top five)
Published 23:00 05/12/11 By John Cross in Athens
Arsene Wenger will reach a European milestone at Olympiacos this week - but is still desperate for the biggest trophy of all.
The Arsenal manager takes charge of his 200th club game in European competition (with Monaco and the Gunners) and insists he is proud of his record, despite never having won the Champions League.
Arsenal are flying the flag for England - they are the only Premier League team to qualify for the knock-out stages so far after winning Group F with a match to spare.
Wenger believes they can make more European waves this season.
The Frenchman has enjoyed memorable victories at Inter Milan, AC Milan and Real Madrid (see video below) with the Gunners, but is still haunted by their 2006 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona.
Wenger, who's set to rest some of his big guns in Greece, said: “It is an impressive number, because 200 games usually make a whole career. It’s a privilege to play 200 games in Europe.
“It’s many hotels, many planes and many big games - that is the most important thing.
“Consistency is the most difficult thing. Out of these 200 games in Europe, there must be about 160 in the Champions League. That is at the highest level and it’s been a fantastic experience.
“[We went] the whole season unbeaten in the Champions League in 2006 - apart from the last 13 minutes against Barcelona.
“We have had many highlights. Over the years you could say we have won everywhere.
“We have won in Madrid, Milan, Rome, Germany, in France - maybe the only place we didn’t win is Barcelona - that means Arsenal is remembered well all over Europe as a strong club.
“Winning away is most special. But we have a fantastic home record in the Champions League as well. We like going away in Europe and winning, because it’s difficult. We will go to win and carry on going in the competition.”
When Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996, his first game in charge was in Europe. He has qualified for the Champions League in every full season since.
Rather like Martin O’Neill did with Sunderland on Sunday, Wenger was supposed to watch that UEFA Cup tie against Borussia Monchengladbach from the stands.
But he now recalls: “I was not fully in charge for that game, but I must admit I took control and intervened at half-time. So, yes, that was my first European game.
“I’m always learning. You’re always learning about Europe. Sir Alex Ferguson has even more experience than I have and you can see that it’s difficult in Europe to win in every single game.”
While Wenger went so close in 2006 until Barcelona’s late fightback cancelled out Sol Campbell’s opener for 10-man Arsenal, victory against the Spanish giants last season must rank as one of his favourite games.
Arsenal beat mighty Barca at the Emirates, and were a late Nicklas Bendtner miss away from going through at the Nou Camp, yet the Spanish giants went on to win the trophy.
With his team comfortably though to the last 16, Wenger will rest many of his big guns in Greece while giving the likes of Emmanuel Frimpong and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a chance.
Wenger added: “What I will do is make sure we are completely solid defensively. That means I will take a very experienced defence - a bit similar to what I did against Man City.
“That means I might take Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Santos. And I will again give a chance to Chamberlain, Frimpong. Chamakh maybe. So it will be a strong team with a strong base.”
Wenger is hoping that England’s other European representatives - Chelsea and both Manchester clubs - join the Gunners in the last 16 and safeguard the Premier League’s privileged status in the Champions League.
UEFA allocates Champions League places to countries based on achievements in previous seasons - and the fear is that early exits for the three other Premier League clubs could have a bad knock-on effect in the long term.
Wenger added: “It would be a catastrophic scenario for England and would basically harm our places for Europe in the future. That’s what you don’t want - that you go from four [Champions League places] to three.
“Hopefully that will not happen - clubs like Manchester United would concentrate on the championship and FA Cup [if they were not in the Champions League].
"But let’s see what happens. I don’t think that will happen.”
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ARSENE'S TOP FIVE ARSENAL EURO NIGHTS (WITH VIDEO!)
4) November 2003: Inter Milan 1 Arsenal 5 Thierry Henry scored twice in a thrashing of one of European football's superpowers in one of the game's great arenas. Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires were also on target on an incredible night in the San Siro.
3) February 2006: Real Madrid 0 Arsenal 1 The Gunners become the first English club to beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. Henry - who else? - scored as Arsenal beat a side including Beckham, Zidane and Ronaldo.
2) March 2008: AC Milan 0 Arsenal 2 Arsenal make more history as they strike twice late on to become the first English team to beat Milan in the San Siro. Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor were the men on target.
1) February 2011: Arsenal 2 Barcelona 1 As a one-off game, Wenger may choose this as his favourite. Arsenal beat a team that would go on to win the European Cup, as Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie completed a great fightback.
