Wenger: I feel sympathy for Benitez at Chelsea

Jan 18, 2013 8:50:00 AM

The Arsenal boss says the crowd can play a big part in a team's performance and is hoping the Gunners can take a good result from Stamford Bridge on Sunday

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he feels sympathy towards Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez.

The former Liverpool boss has come under heavy criticism ever since he replaced fan favourite Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge and has won just two of seven home fixtures so far.

Despite the hostility at the Bridge, Wenger does not think Benitez or can his players blame the negative environment for their performances on the pitch.


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“You never know how much it affects the players,” Wenger told The Mirror, “The crowd can be a bit difficult or become enthusiastic if the game turns well.

“Of course it tests the mental strength of the players. But for young players especially, it is not easy.

“I think it is part of our job to deal with that and the only thing I can say, it is easier to play in a positive environment than in a negative environment.

"It is part of a football player’s career to deal with both sides of it. We have all played in hostile atmospheres. But it should not stop you from playing."

With the Gunners boss feeling the heat from his own fans this season, the 63-year-old can relate to Benitez's situation but insists there will be no sympathy shown on Sunday.

He added: “I feel sympathy for every manager until the day I play against him. Then the sympathy goes and comes back after the game.

“We are all in the same position. We know we are in a fragile job and that the confidence is very important.

“It’s a job where you have to take care of your own team.

“But the confidence of the crowd in the team plays a big part.

"Let’s not hope on any weakness of Chelsea. Let’s focus on our strength. You want to go there and be at your best. That’s all you can do. You never know how your opponent will turn up. We cannot speculate on that.

“You want to go to a big game and just think, ‘Let’s be at our best’.”

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Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

6:53 PM BST

Carlo Garganese is in the house, so so keep your questions coming on Twitter, folks.

@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL

CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.

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Fair to say that our man Jay Jaffa is really savouring the atmosphere at Wembley right now:

"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "

Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.

6:40 PM BST

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Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.

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Borussia Dortmund have announced their starting line-up for tonight's Champions League final!! And it's as we predicted, with Kevin Grosskreutz starting on the left-hand side and Marco Reus moving infield to fill the void left by the injured Mario Gotze.

Dortmund XI v Bayern: Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Bender; Blaszczykowski, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski.

6:31 PM BST

Questions rolling in for our own Carlo Garganese over on Twitter, the most left-field of which comes 'I'm Moeg, Sien jy! ‏@MurGyver 34s', who writes:

"Is it true that players can't wear underwear in the final?"

Surely you have to log on now for no other reason than to find out the answer to that cracking enquiry?!

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