Bendtner: 'We can win the Champions League'
Published 22:57 09/03/10 By John Cross
Nicklas Bendtner claimed turbo-charged Arsenal can win the Champions League after scoring his first ever hat-trick last night.
Danish striker Bendtner, who missed a hatful of chances of Saturday, admitted he did not even know about the English tradition of keeping the match ball after his stunning treble destroyed Porto.
“This will give us a lot of confidence. We want to win the Champions League. It’s something we haven’t done,” said Bendtner after overcoming his nightmare against Burnley.
“Every time I play a game I put it behind me as soon as it’s finished. Sometimes it’s one of those days and today I put it right. I’m happy with my hat-trick, but tomorrow we move on.”
Delighted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also paid tribute to Bendtner after his team’s brilliant win completed their first ever comeback from an away leg defeat in the Champions League.
Wenger said: “Football can change very quickly in three days, it goes quickly up and quickly down. It shows you he’s not lost his confidence, he came back with focus and the same belief. It’s one of his strengths.
“His confidence level is always stable. He has the size and presence we need. We’re usually short team so someone with size is important, offensively and defensively.”
Samir Nasri’s stunning solo goal and supersub Emmanuel Eboue were also on target in the rout in the second half before Bendtner added to his first half double with a last minute penalty.
Wenger insists his team can also rule Europe after their amazing victory - and the Arsenal manager says he is ready to face Chelsea or Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
Wenger added: “I have a funny feeling maybe it’s good for us to play an English team. We have not done well against Chelsea and against Man United this year and it would be a good chance to show we can do it against them.
“We do not choose Manchester United or Chelsea, but if I say we don’t want to play an English team we’re in an inferior position. I believe maybe it’s a good opportunity if we get them to show we can do well.
“If I had a choice I would say yes. If we get them we cannot do worse than we did in the championship, we can only do better.
“If I don’t smile tonight I will never smile. We controlled the game, played our fluent football and had a positive start with early goals which gave us the belief. Over the 90 minutes we controlled 80.
“Overall we controlled the game, scored great goals and were good to watch. We did what we like to do, we won with style and always went forward in a positive way.”
