Wenger gives peace a chance in Moscow
Only 300 Arsenal fans expected to make trip ‘Sport can play positive role between countries’
Arsene Wenger has predicted that football can be more important than ever this year in easing international political tensions, with Arsenal expecting only around 300 fans to travel to Moscow for tonight’s Europa League quarterfinal second leg.
The Russian Football Union is giving every Arsenal supporter a hat inscribed with the message “Russian Warm Welcome” as a gesture of goodwill and, while Russiabased Arsenal fans are expected to take the number of away fans to around 800, it will still be a relatively low travelling support.
Empty seats have been a major feature of Arsenal’s season at home amid a general air of apathy but this match is also being played against the backdrop of worsening relations between the Russian and British governments.
Wenger stressed that he was confident of a “perfectly” organised World Cup in Russia this summer, as well as a problem-free match tonight, but he also stressed that sport could help the wider geopolitical situation.
“We have been well welcomed here,” he said. “Sport can always play a positive role in life and between countries as well – football is a good opportunity always to facilitate relations. I am convinced that Thursday night will be absolutely normal and the World Cup will be perfectly well organised. I have no problem about that but maybe sport will have a more active role during this period than ever. We had many Russian fans in London. There was no problem. Why should it be different here?”
Arsenal arrived in Moscow last night without Granit Xhaka because the midfielder has a bout of flu, but with his place alongside Aaron Ramsey likely to be taken by Mohamed Elneny, Wenger will field a full-strength team.
The example of Barcelona, who also had a 4-1 first-leg lead before being eliminated by Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, was described yesterday by defender Shkodran Mustafi as “perfect timing” in ensuring that Arsenal are not complacent. Arsenal Referee