Euro misery piles more pressure on Wenger

London – Arsene Wenger (right) conceded he is in a “very difficult situation” after Arsenal’s wretched campaign hit a new low with a humiliating Champions League exit against Bayern Munich.

Wenger’s side suffered their heaviest home defeat for 19 years as Bayern romped to a 5-1 victory on Tuesday that sealed a 10-2 aggregate success in the last-16 tie.

It was an evening of abject misery for Wenger, who was subjected to calls for his resignation from Arsenal fans before and after one of the most chastening losses of his 21-year reign.

Wenger angrily complained that refereeing decisions had denied his team the chance of an epic fightback after Theo Walcott’s opener was cancelled out by a Robert Lewandowski penalty that led to the dismissal of Gunners defender Laurent Koscielny.

But the way his team surrendered so limply in the closing stages, conceding four more goals while fans rained boos and abuse down on Wenger, was a sign of the turmoil gripping the Emirates Stadium.

With Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes in tatters and even a top four finish far from certain, Wenger had already faced stinging criticism following his decision to drop Alexis Sanchez for Saturday’s loss at Liverpool – a move that reportedly led to a blazing row between the striker, his manager and several team-mates.

And, while the final score against Bayern may have been harsh on Arsenal, it was a defeat that did little to stem the feeling Wenger is destined for an acrimonious exit.

Asked if he would be managing Arsenal in Europe next season, Wenger, who has yet to reveal if he will extend his contract when it expires at the end of the campaign, gave a response that invited renewed speculation about his future.

“I don’t know, you always want headlines. I’m here to speak about football not my future,” the Gunners boss said.

“At the moment we are going through a very difficult situation, but I think this club is in great shape.

“We play the quarterfinal of the FA Cup against Lincoln and we want to focus on that and do our job properly.”

Questioned about the protests, Wenger wisely opted against criticising the supporters, saying: “I have nothing to add to that.” – AFP