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Arsene Wenger Warns His Arsenal Players To Ignore The Hype Ahead Of Champions League Clash With Barcelona
Gunners boss wants to do the talking on the pitch...
19-Mar-2010 11:25:46 PM
By Zack Wilson
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants his team to focus solely on the football ahead of their much-anticipated Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona.
The Gunners were paired with the current European champions at the draw in Nyon on Friday, but Wenger wants his players to distance themselves as much as possible from the feverish coverage that the two-legged tie will surely generate.
"The worry in the modern game is when you go to matches, you do not focus on football any more," the Frenchman told his Friday press conference.
"When Chelsea played against Manchester City, people were more focused on the handshake of Wayne Bridge and John Terry. I was excited to watch a good football game.
"In our job, we have to make sure we focus on what is important and what we love, not the stories which the media dictates to people - it should be about what really matters to people, that means football.
"In my job, I have to make sure that is the case."
Arsenal will be at the Nou Camp for the second leg of the tie, but Wenger does not necessarily see that as an advantage for Barcelona.
"We like to think in our job that to play at home in the second leg is an advantage, but it is not proven at all in the statistics," he added.
"These are ties where the quality of your concentration for 180 minutes and the form of the day is very important.
"We have to go into these games with the right focus."
The Gunners were paired with the current European champions at the draw in Nyon on Friday, but Wenger wants his players to distance themselves as much as possible from the feverish coverage that the two-legged tie will surely generate.
"The worry in the modern game is when you go to matches, you do not focus on football any more," the Frenchman told his Friday press conference.
"When Chelsea played against Manchester City, people were more focused on the handshake of Wayne Bridge and John Terry. I was excited to watch a good football game.
"In our job, we have to make sure we focus on what is important and what we love, not the stories which the media dictates to people - it should be about what really matters to people, that means football.
"In my job, I have to make sure that is the case."
Arsenal will be at the Nou Camp for the second leg of the tie, but Wenger does not necessarily see that as an advantage for Barcelona.
"We like to think in our job that to play at home in the second leg is an advantage, but it is not proven at all in the statistics," he added.
"These are ties where the quality of your concentration for 180 minutes and the form of the day is very important.
"We have to go into these games with the right focus."
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