Arsene Wenger has told Arsenal to "make the impossible possible" at Bayern Munich with the Gunners needing to score at least three times in Wednesday's Champions League last 16, second leg clash.
Having lost the first leg 3-1 at Emirates Stadium three weeks ago, Wenger's side face an uphill task to become only the second team to win at Bayern's Allianz Arena this season.
Arsenal have lost key midfielder Jack Wilshere to injury, but Bayern are even more weakened by the loss of France wing Franck Ribery with a sprained ankle, while both Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and defender Jerome Boateng are suspended.
Wilshere is out for the next three weeks with an ankle injury and the Gunners will miss his midfield creativity, while goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and defender Bacary Sagna are also out.
"It's difficult, yes, but impossible, no," said Wenger.
"It's hard to say what percentage of a chance we have, but the important thing is we have a vast experience in the Champions League and Europe.
"That means we have the right to believe.
"It's unacceptable to assume we will be eliminated. We have to use our experience and our quality."
Arsenal's task is especially daunting against a buoyant Bayern side who proved their mettle by twice coming from behind in Saturday's 3-2 win at home to Fortuna Duesseldorf which left them 20 points clear in the Bundesliga.
Bayern have lost just once at home this season when Bayer Leverkusen pulled off a shock 2-1 win last October in the league, but Munich have won all of their eight games so far in 2013.
Even without their stars Ribery, Schweinsteiger and Boateng, coach Jupp Heynckes has a strong squad to choose from but right-wing Thomas Mueller has said the team will not take the Gunners lightly.
"Arsenal have nothing to lose, they can focus on attack," Mueller, who has scored 17 goals in 32 games this season, told the Bayern website.
Bayern know all about European disappointment having lost last season's Champions League final at home to Chelsea on penalties and are wary of resting on their laurels, despite the big win in London.
"We had a 1-0 win in Milan and then lost 3-2 at home to get knocked out," said Mueller remembering Inter Milan's 3-2 win in Munich in 2011 which saw Bayern exit at the same stage in the competition.
"We can't afford to be too relaxed."
Source: AFP
