Wenger: This is biggest test so far

Steve Stammers|Matt Hughes|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Arsene Wenger believes that the Champions League knock-out stage draw features the strongest line-up of teams for the last five years.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool were all anxiously waiting the results of today's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

Wenger said: "There is not one side which you could call a weak team. Just look at the list - Italy have Juventus, AC Milan and Inter-Milan. Spain have Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"England have Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and ourselves. Bayern Munich are there from Germany and the current holders Porto are also through. The competition is more open than it has been for the last five years. "

Wenger also revealed that he looks forward to European competition because it allows him to set himself against the best coaches in European football.

"The Premiership is always the prioity," said Wenger. "But it is a great challenge to pit your wits against teams from Europe. They pose different-problems and ask different questions than those you face every week in the domestic league.

"You play against teams you often know very little about because you have not played against them. I must say, it does make me feel excited when you are preparing for a completely different kind of game. "

Arsenal can draw any one of five opponents - Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Porto.

Chelsea can be paired with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona or Weder Bremen.

The Stamford Bridge side are among the bookmakers' favourites to win the competition, although manager Jose Mourinho is unhappy with the tag.

He said: "We do not deserve to be favourites as we can play so many good teams. There are a group of teams with a lot of qualitiy and we're no more favourites than Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona and the Italian clubs. There are a group of seven teams with the right power and condition.

"The pressure on us is not fair but I'm not afraid of it. Arsenal have been fighting to win the competition for seven years and cannot do it and it took Manchester United nearly 10 years so it's not fair. Why are we favourites above AC Milan, Juventus and Barcelona?

"We're in a group of teams who can win the Champions League but we can also be knocked out in the next round. It's very unpredictable. We can beat everyone and everyone can beat us, that's the Champions League.

"You have to be a top team to win the Champions League but you need a lot of luck. I will never forget that last season in the 89th minute at Old Trafford Porto were out of the competition, but in the 90th minute we were through. Sometimes it's the last minute, sometimes it's penalties, other times it's a mistake by a defender. You can never decide which team will advance."

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