Wenger focused on victory over monaco

  

Arsene Wenger had little time for a nostalgic look
back to the start of his coaching career with AS Monaco on
Tuesday before his former club meet his Arsenal side with a
place in the Champions League quarter-finals awaiting the
winners.



The Frenchman made his name at Monaco between 1987
and 1994, leading them to the French title, the French Cup
and to a place in the final of the 1992 European Cup
Winners' Cup which they lost to Werder Bremen.
He then went to Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan before
taking over at Arsenal in 1996 and was unemotional about
his time with Monaco when he spoke before Wednesday's
first leg of their last-16 tie.
"I am happy that Monaco is back at the top level, for the rest
I am for 18 years the manager of Arsenal Football Club and
focused on just qualifying for the quarter-finals, against a
good side," Wenger said.
Asked what significance his time at Monaco had on his
career, he replied: "It was the start of my career It was my
first chance to be in a big club, I was very young, and you
are always grateful for that."
Of far more interest to the 65-year-old, however, is the
immediate future.
"If you look at the numbers, Monaco made 11 points in the
group stage, they scored four goals and conceded one and
that means they can defend very well and that's what they
will certainly try to do tomorrow.
"They are very good on the break, very quick in transition so
that's what we expect from them."
Wenger left Monaco in 1994 and although he he has had
little contact with his old employees over the years, this will
be the second time the clubs have met in the last seven
months.
Monaco won a low-key pre-season warm-up 1-0 against
Arsenal in the Emirates Cup in August and the only thing
certain is that the pace, vitality and pressure on Wednesday
will be very different.
Wenger identified former Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester
United and Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov as still being a
real threat at the age of 34.
"He may not be as fit as he was 10 years ago but his
footballing brain and his intelligence in the penalty area
means he is very dangerous still" Wenger said.