Euro struggles haunt Gunners boss
LONDON. — Radiating anger and resignation in equal measure, Arsene Wenger wore the exasperated expression that has become all too familiar to Arsenal followers during their club’s futile attempts to conquer Europe.
Wenger’s frustrated demeanour on the touchline at the Allianz Arena last month was provoked by the sight of Arsenal being outclassed by Bayern Munich — again — in the first leg of their Champions League last- 16 tie. Each Bayern goal was a fresh twist of the knife for Wenger and by full-time Arsenal had been hammered 5-1, a chastening loss that seems certain to make tonight’s second leg at the Emirates Stadium a mere formality for the Germans.
There was an unmistakeable feeling of deja vu as Wenger and his players trudged back to
before the game.
Asked about his relationship with the 28-year-old, the Frenchman said: “Honest and normal like with every single player.”
Reports had claimed t hat Wenger’s patience with Sanchez had finally snapped last week.
It was earlier claimed yesterday that Sánchez walked out of training and was involved in a bust-up with angry team-mates days before being dropped for Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool on Saturday.
The episode casts further doubt over Sánchez’s future, with Paris St- Germain the front-runners ahead of Juventus to sign the Chile the changing room, once again assailed by the harsh realities of Europe’s elite club competition.
Arsenal have been eliminated in the first knock- out round of the Champions League in each of the last six seasons, twice by Bayern, and Wenger appears no closer to solving the problem.
This season’s likely exit would sting even more for Wenger because it could prove his final taste of the Champions League after 21 years as Arsenal manager.
Amid mounting speculation Wenger is ready to quit when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Frenchman has refused to give a firm assurance he will return next term.
If that is the case, his failure to master the unique demands of the Champions League will surely be Wenger’s biggest regret. — AFP.
striker this summer amid mounting concern over his failure to sign a new contract.
Wenger claimed after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool that Sánchez had been dropped for tactical reasons but The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed that it came on the back of an incident that disrupted preparations for their trip to Anfield.
It is also understood that there has been a growing sense within Arsenal that their leading scorer has been behaving selfishly with so many public displays of frustration. — The Daily Star-The Daily Telegraph.