Firing on all fronts
Wenger: Gunners will not sacrifice any competition this season
LONDON: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said the club cannot afford to ignore any competition unlike rival managers who have questioned the value of the English League Cup.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho suggested scrapping of the League Cup could help avoid fixture congestion and would help English clubs become more competitive in European competitions.
The Portuguese manager was also backed by Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola, who played down the significance of the League Cup.
Wenger’s Arsenal, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season, missed out on Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years and are playing in the less prestigious Europa League.
“You cannot sacrifice deliberately any competition with the pressure that every club is under now,” said Wenger.
“You know that you could pay the price sometimes for it because you know that if you go further in the League Cup, at some stage you play in the semi-finals home and away in January.
“(So) you have the FA Cup, the Premier League and sometimes you lose players in these competitions.”
Wenger claims the Champions League has become less interesting – after failing to qualify.
And as he prepares to face Europa League rivals Bate Borisov in Belarus on Thursday, he claimed the competition was losing some of its pulling power.
Wenger, 67, said: “I think that in the group stage, there are not many interesting games. You watch only one or two games.
“It’s a routine now, the Champions League, in the group stage. Look at the audiences. It has lost some attraction power.”
Last month Wenger insisted the Premier League had “taken over from the Champions League, interest-wise”.
But the Frenchman admitted he was missing the chance to test himself against Europe’s elite.
Asked if he would like to be involved, he added: “Honestly, yes. But I must say, I have had nearly 200 games in the Champions League, so I can feel privileged.” — Agencies