Arsene Wenger: 'If we’re being honest, we’d have probably preferred not to have had Bayern Munich, but we’ve got to say we’re relatively happy with the draw overall'

Published: 27 August, 2015

ARSENAL will have to be at their best if they are going to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League after being handed a difficult group stage draw today in Monaco.

The Gunners are the only team in Group F who didn’t win their domestic league last season after being drawn alongside German champions Bayern Munich, Greek champions Olympiacos and Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb.

Arsenal general secretary David Miles said: “This is our 18th consecutive season in the group stage, that’s a fantastic testamant to what manager Arsene Wenger has done for the club.

“If we’re being honest, we’d have probably preferred not to have had Bayern Munich, but we’ve got to say we’re relatively happy with the draw overall.”

Meanwhile Wenger insists that his team can handle the “pressure” of playing at Newcastle on Saturday in the Premier League’s early kick-off. 

“We want to do well at Newcastle but it’s always very, very tight and very committed there because the crowd is always behind their team,” said the Arsenal manager.

“They have just had a good result at Manchester United so it’s important that we prepare well and we give absolutely everything to win this game before the international break.

“We have always done well at Newcastle. There has always been something big at stake, but we like pressure.”

Talking about his team selection ahead of the trip to St James’ Park, Wenger said that he’ would ideally like to bring Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker back into his starting line-up. Injury and illness kept the pair out of Monday night’s goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. 

“I would like them to be available but they are doubts. That’s part of the season, you can’t complain about that,” said the Frenchman.

Koscielny faces a late fitness test on a back injury, while Mertesacker has been struggling with a virus.