Robin van Persie has aimed for a Champions League clash with Real Madrid or Barcelona for Arsenal. With Arsenal well placed in both the Carling Cup and the Premier League, Van Persie is also convinced this really will be the season to end a trophy drought that dates back to the 2005 FA Cup. “We have to believe,” he said. “If you don’t believe you might as well stop playing football.”
Arsenal went out 6-3 on aggregate against Barcelona in the quarter-finals last season and Wenger conceded that the 2009 Champions League winners are again the club that everyone else in Europe must beat.
“Barcelona are the super favourites,” said Wenger. “I felt they played us off the park for the first 30 minutes last year. In the end, when it was 2-2, I felt if it lasted 10 more minutes we would win the game.
“When we played over there it was the reverse. We should have been two up and then Lionel Messi was in top form and made the difference on his own.”
