Maybe sensing that this year might not be his again, Arsene Wenger has played down the importance of the Champions League to his club, him and perhaps to football’s history books.
“Is that bigger than the championship? I am not sure. How many games do you need to win it?
“I can name managers who have won it and you would be surprised where they are now.
Ohh take that, Rafa Benitez! A beard and a Champions League title means nothing!
“It is a cup game and is not a championship. The team who wins that over 38 games is the best team.
“Was AC Milan the best team in Europe last year? I am not convinced. “It becomes so difficult in the championship and a lot of teams do not turn up in the Champions League.â€
“The Champions League is still a cup game. Of course I want to win it – but I cannot say at the moment that the team who wins it are the best in Europe. “The Premier League is the hardest competition now. You don’t have to win as many games in the Champions League as you do in the championship.â€
Wenger is right, the Champions League is a cup competition but it is still matches against 13 teams who would probably spank every Premier League team other than a select few. Does thumping Derby 6-0 or eventually cruising past the likes of Wigan and Birmingham really mean you’re a better side than a team who can do the business against AC Milan or Barcelona over two legs? You could easily argue that while the Champions League is less matches, you’ll face more difficult matches than you would in the league.
And if the Premier League is harder than the Champions League, the obvious question is why Wenger has couple league titles and none from Europe despite playing his full team in both. Hopefully Rafa will continue his desire to fight everyone possible and respond.