Arsenal vs Monaco preview - Wenger: Monaco not an easy ride

Posted Wednesday, February 25, 2015 by PA

Manager Arsene Wenger does not expect an easy ride as Arsenal aim to get past former club Monaco and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in four seasons.

The Gunners found themselves unseeded for the knockout stages having finished behind Borussia Dortmund in Group D on goal difference and could have faced one of Europe's big guns, as they did when coming up against Bayern Munich who ended their hopes in the past two seasons.

Monaco were viewed as one of the weaker seeds, have scored only four Champions League goals this season, but still qualified as winners of Group C ahead of Bayer Leverkusen.

However, Wenger - who guided the principality club to the Ligue 1 title in 1987-88 and semi-finals of the Champions League a few seasons later - insists any thoughts of complacency can be fatal.

"We have been in the Champions League for 17 consecutive years and that means we would have not learned the lesson - easy is a word that you have to ban in the Champions League," said Wenger.

"Every time we were in there, it was hard-earned wins.

"It is always one-goal difference - you go out for one goal, you stay in for one goal and that means you have to work very hard.

"If you look at the teams who are (left) competing they are always a reason to think it is difficult, so let us just try to do the next game, go into that with belief and humility, to try to give everything we can.

"I heard yesterday, they (Monaco) say we have the pressure because we are favourites, for me it is a 50/50 game. There is a pressure on the game, but that is what you want.

"Personally I love that because there is a lot of stake and that is the type of game you want to play when you are a manager or a player."

Veteran striker Dimitar Berbatov will use all his insider knowledge to help his Monaco team-mates "do their homework" on Arsenal and get his unfancied team into the last eight.

Berbatov knows Arsenal well from his time in the Barclays Premier League with Tottenham, Manchester United and Fulham.

The 34-year-old, who joined Monaco in January 2014, fully understands the challenge which awaits the Ligue 1 side, but is confident they can progress.

"We know it is going to be a difficult game and we will be the underdogs, but we came for a good result, have prepared well and hopefully we can achieve it," said Berbatov, who played against Arsenal in seven north London derbies for Spurs between 2006 and 2008.

"I spent a couple of years here and have told my team-mates this will be a tough game.

"Being back here is great for me, playing in this stadium. I have had some good moments here, scored a couple of goals, and also had some bad moments.

"It is nothing new to me. I know the games, I watch them on TV, Arsenal are playing very well.

"They are a team who work a lot of passes, try to play the combinations, football the way it should be played. They play on the counter with quick players and very technical.

"Maybe this will be new for some of my team-mates, but I have explained to them that it will be difficult, so they need to do their homework, and our coach will prepare us for the game.

"Hopefully we can do what we came here to do."