Arsène Wenger will have one eye on Tuesday's clash with Bayern when he picks his side for the FA Cup
Arsenal could have the confidence to go on and win the Champions League
if they can knock out Bayern Munich in the last 16, according to Arsène
Wenger.
The Gunners host Blackburn Rovers in the fifth round of the FA Cup on
Saturday, just a few days before the first leg of their European clash
against Bayern at the Emirates.Bayern lost on penalties to Chelsea in last season's Champions League
final and are currently 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga,
having not lost since October 28, reports the guardian.co.uk.They have returned from the winter break with four straight league wins.Wenger feels should his men come through such a challenge, then just
like Chelsea, confidence of a first European Cup triumph would grow.
"We have a big game on Tuesday against Bayern. If we get past them, then why should we not go further and win it?" Wenger said. "It looks at the start that [winning] the FA Cup is more reachable than
any other competition, but you don't really know how difficult it will
be. If you compare it to the Premier League certainly, we have more
chances to do it because we are too far away in the Premier League."Despite the obvious draw of next week's prestigious European fixture,
Wenger maintains his side will be fully focused on seeing off Blackburn
and securing a place in the quarter-finals of the world's oldest
knockout competition.
"The FA Cup is an important target for us. We always take it very
seriously, we're on a good run and we want to continue the run," said
Wenger, whose side have closed the gap on the Premier League top four
after back-to-back victories."We are the favourites [against Blackburn], they're the outsiders, and
have nothing to lose. However, if you look at who is in the squad, many
of their players have Premier League experience, that is why they are
dangerous."Arsenal have a fitness concern over Jack Wilshere, who went off at Sunderland last week as a precaution over a thigh problem.Wenger said: "I will not take a risk. [That is because of] the rest of the season in mind and what happened to him before."
Thomas Vermaelen should be back from his ankle problem, but Laurent Koscielny (calf) will be assessed.
"Gervinho could be back in contention following the Africa Cup of Nations.
"We will play a team who has a good chance to go through with
experienced players," said Wenger. "We only have big names in our squad,
so it will be a team of big names, for sure."
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