Champions League: Wenger shows little sentiment as Monaco come to town

Arsenal host the Frenchman’s former side in last 16 first leg

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he hasn't been wasting any time on nostalgic reminiscences ahead of his reunion with former club Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Wenger made his name as a manager during a successful seven-year spell at Monaco. Yet, since leaving the French Riviera after being sacked in 1994, Wenger — now in his 19th year in charge at Arsenal — has rarely come into contact with the team where he spent his formative years as a coach.

The Gunners were beaten by Monaco in a pre-season match before the current campaign, when a goal from Radamel Falcao, now on loan at Manchester United, gave Leonardo Jardim's side a 1-0 victory in the Emirates Cup.

But this last 16, first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium will be Wenger's first competitive clash with Monaco, prompting questions about whether he has fond memories of his time at the Stade Louis II.

Wenger's response made it clear romantic reflections on his past relationships came a distant second to keeping his players focused on their battle to finish in the Premier League's top four. "I have enough experience to know that the most important game is this one, after that you think about the next one, so it has not been hard," Wenger said after Saturday's 2-1 win at Crystal Palace lifted Arsenal to third in the league. "We fought like mad to come back in a strong position in the [Premier League], and not to win [against Palace] would have been disastrous."

While Wenger was dismissive of his own memories of Monaco, the 65-year-old Frenchman is far too astute to be as offhand about his old club's current players.

After failing to reach the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition since 2010, due to a series of tough draws against the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona, this appears a golden opportunity for Arsenal to finally reach the last eight again.

But Wenger warned his players not to underestimate the French side, who are fourth in Ligue 1 and advanced to the last 16 as group winners thanks largely to a pair of impressive victories over Bayer Leverkusen.

"The last 16 in recent years has been super tough. This is a 50/50 game," said Wenger. "We know that Monaco are very tight defensively - they didn't concede in the group stage against good teams.”

Wenger must decide whether to change a winning side against Monaco, with England internationals Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott having been left on the bench at Palace.

Monaco's main fitness concern is France left-back Layvin Kurzawa, who limped off against Nice with a leg injury. "Layvin Kurzawa took a knock to the thigh but we will see if he can recover in time to play Arsenal on Wednesday," said Jardim.

 

Atletico duo aim to keep goals flowing in Leverkusen

Atletico Madrid arrive at Bayer Leverkusen hoping for a sixth straight clean-sheet in Europe, with Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann hunting more goals.

Between them, the two have already bagged 37 goals this season as the 2014 Champions League finalists look to leave Leverkusen's BayArena with an advantage in the hunt for a quarter-final place.

Former Bayern Munich striker Mandzukic has already shown Pep Guardiola what he is missing in Bavaria by scoring 20 goals, while Griezmann has hit the net 17 times for Atletico this season.

French midfielder Griezmann says Diego Simeone's Madrid need a good start in Leverkusen, just as they had in Saturday's 3-0 home league win over Almeria to stay third in the table.

"We need to keep working and enjoying the games like we are at the moment," said the Frenchman, after netting in the 20th and 29th minute following Mandzukic's 13th-minute penalty. "We need to face all the games the same way, trying to win and coming out flying from the start."

 

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