Wenger: It's my OBSESSION to win the Champions League with Arsenal
For Arsene Wenger, the Champions League is the glaring omission on an otherwise brilliant career resume. On Monday, Arsenal’s manager admitted it has become an obsession.
At London Colney, as his team trained on the dewy surfaces that are cut to precisely the same length as the Emirates, there was a whiff of nostalgia about the place.
Robert Pires, an Arsenal ambassador, trains with the new breed twice a week, passing on his experience of playing in a team that nearly won the European Cup in 2006.
Old boy: Former Arsenal star Robert Pires talks with Arsene Wenger during training
Training day: Mesut Ozil (left) and Tomas Vermaelen (left) warm up for the game against Napoli
The gaffer: Wenger oversees training at London Colney ahead of their Champions League game
Sol Campbell, who headed Arsenal into a 37th-minute lead against Barcelona in the Stade de France that night, arrived to take Arsenal’s development squad for training just before noon.
Asked if the Champions League had become an obsession, Wenger said: ‘Yes. We’d love to win it, as it has never been done at this club. If we get out of this group, we have a chance. It’s something I miss; I’ll try very hard to fill my c.v. with it.
‘We’ve flirted with it a few times, but in recent years we’ve not been helped by the draw. We have played Barcelona, Milan and Bayern Munich. Recently, we have not had the quality to go through.
He's alright Jack! Arsenal playmaker Wilshere practices his ball skills during training
Gearing up: Laurent Koscielny talks tactics with his teammates and Robert Pires
Challenge: Arsenal boss talks to his team as they attempt to get through the so-called Group of Death
Jog on: Bacary Sagna (centre) is put through his paces with Arsenal teammates
‘The super favourites to win it are Bayern Munich. They’ve the same team, plus Mario Gotze on top.
‘They played the final recently many times so they may be more favourites than Barcelona because Messi doesn’t look to have the same consistent presence as before.
‘It’s hard to predict; after Christmas it’s about who is available, fit, and who isn’t. You can’t plan.
No cigar: Robert Pires (above) came close to winning the Champions League in 2006 when Sol Campbell (below) scored in the final
‘For two or three years, Barcelona were above everyone. In October, you know if Messi doesn’t get injured, they will win it.’
This evening, Wenger comes up against one of just four managers in this year’s competition to have won the biggest European club prize.
Rafa Benitez won the European Cup with Liverpool on that memorable night in Istanbul in 2005 against Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan. The Italian, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are the only others to have won the Champions League.
German engineering: Wenger insists that last season's champions Bayern Munich (above) are favourites while Barcelona's success depends on Lionel Messi (below)
Wenger added: ‘Rafa is a top-class manager. He has proven that, so when you are confronted with his teams it will always be difficult.
‘People were tough with him at Chelsea because people did not expect him to go there, but he did very well and dealt with it. In the end, people will realise that.’
Benitez has masterminded a revival at Napoli since the former interim coach at Chelsea replaced Walter Mazzarri at the Stadio San Paolo at the start of the season.
He's back...FACT! Rafa Benitez returns to face a Premier League side as Napoli manager
Hair raising: Rafa Benitez and Marek Hamsik attend the Champions League press conference together
The one that got away: Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain came close to joining Arsenal in the summer
Team sheet: Arsenal and Napoli's probable line-ups
Napoli are second, behind Roma, in Serie A and got off to a flying start in the Champions League with a fine 2-1 win over last season’s finalists Borussia Dortmund.
Pepe Reina is part of a team that gets the creative juices flowing. Last season, they were overly reliant on Edinson Cavani before his £60m move to Paris Saint-Germain.
At the Emirates this evening Benitez will rely on Gokhan Inler, Marek Hamsik and Jose Callejon in midfield to set up Gonzalo Higuain.Wenger added: ‘They sold a player for £60m and bought one for £40m (Higuain).
'Maybe Benitez’s first experience in Italy (at Inter in 2010) he took a team who had been at a high and were just over the hill. Napoli are on the way up; he can give them experience and quality. They’re another team that usually invests that kind of money but their chairman is very, very ambitious.
‘The problem with the seeded clubs in Europe is the teams who are coming up aren’t seeded; it doesn’t make them less dangerous. That’s why we’re in such a difficult group. What are Dortmund doing here? What are Napoli doing here?’
Beyond that, Wenger believes it could open up for Arsenal.