Source: PA
Wenger bullish over European hopes
Arsene Wenger has challenged his Arsenal side to set themselves up for a showdown with one of the European heavyweights by staying on course for domestic success.
The Gunners beat Partizan Belgrade 3-1 at Emirates Stadium, finishing the game with 10 men after Bacary Sagna's late dismissal, to secure their place in the draw for the knockout stage.
However, after finishing as only runners-up to Shakhtar Donetsk - whom they had thrashed 5-1 at Emirates Stadium earlier in the Group H campaign - the Barclays Premier League leaders will now face one of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona or one from German duo Bayern Munich and Schalke.
Arsenal were dumped out in the quarter-finals by Barcelona last season but Wenger believes if they are paired again, then next year could be a whole different ball game.
"Let's be realistic, Barcelona are the super favourite at the moment," Wenger said. "But we take what we get and if it is Barcelona, it is Barcelona.
"It depends whether you have your best players available, whether we have a good level of confidence then. It is very difficult to predict how far you can go. In the last 16 it becomes a different competition, a cup competition and that means for 180 minutes you have to be at your top."
