'This team is strong enough' - Arsene Wenger dismisses Wayne Rooney's Arsenal criticism and insists Gunners have 'quality needed' to beat PSG and reach Champions League final

Arsenal lost the first leg of their Champions League semi-final to Paris Saint-Germain last week, with a single goal from Ousmane Dembele proving enough for the Ligue 1 giants. Manchester United and England great Rooney criticised the Gunners after the defeat, claiming they have a "psychological fear" of winning trophies.

Arsenal must now overturn the aggregate deficit with a win if they are to reach the Champions League final, where they would face Inter Milan after their dramatic victory over Barcelona on Tuesday night. Wenger, who won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups in north London, has rejected Rooney's criticism, insisting Mikel Arteta's side have what it takes to overcome the French giants.

Wenger said: "You need to be inside the group to know that. I don't have that feeling, but we are a few years now where they have been very close, so maybe it has a weight.

"But at some stage you have to get it out, and the best way to get it out is to go out on the pitch and turn up and win a big game, a massive game. Tomorrow they have the opportunity and the players know they have nothing to lose.

"I think the judgement is severe and not deserved.

"But at some stage you have to be there. At some stage you have win it...and this team is strong enough to win the Champions League or to win the Premier League.

"Unfortunately for them, Liverpool this year was a tough opponent. Nobody would have predicted that Liverpool would make up 15 points difference on the rest of the pack, and so let's see [how Arsenal get on against PSG].

"I'm confident that they can overturn the first leg, and they have the needed quality. But of course, you need to have a great offensive performance, but you need as well to be capable to stop this PSG team, to stop them expressing their talent, which is not easy.

"They are playing at home, they can smell the final and will be difficult to stop."

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice also rubbished Rooney's comments in the build-up to his side's trip to France, pointing to their previous victory over PSG in the league phase as evidence.

The talking will stop on Wednesday evening when the second leg takes place at Parc des Princes. Arsenal know anything less than victory inside 90 minutes will result in their certain elimination, but a stirring performance would keep their trophy hopes for the season alive.