Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger knows how important the Champions League qualifier is against Turkish outfit Fenerbache and he has admitted that they are the two most important games of their season.
The Gunners will travel to Turkey ahead of Wednesday’s first-leg before hosting their opposition a week later at the Emirates Stadium.
If Wenger’s men can win the two-legged tie, they will be entering the Champions League proper for an impressive 16th season in a row and the Frenchman knows how important it is for the club to qualify.
“Yes of course [they are the most important games of the season],” he told Arsenal Player. “We fought very hard last season to be in the top four and that game has a vital importance.
“It’s a consequence of what we tried to achieve last season and therefore, on the back of our defeat against Aston Villa, it’s important as well to bounce back straight away.
“To be part of the top level – that is for us the most important thing. All the rest are the consequences of it. When you are a football player, you want to play at the top level and that’s what the Champions League is about.
“We try to win everywhere we go. That is the only target we have to set ourselves.
“We respect Fenerbahce highly but in the history of our club we have gone everywhere, all over, and always had a desire to win and that is what we will do again.”
The last time the two sides met in Turkey, Arsenal eased to a 5-2 victory.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
