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Arsene Wenger: Arsenal will feel 'less guilt' after Champions League group win

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Arsenal top Champions League group

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he will feel "less guilt" if his side get a tough draw in the Champions League last 16 after they topped Group A.

The Gunners have exited at the first knockout stage for the past six years, having finished second in their group in five of those campaigns.

But they topped their section thanks to a 4-1 win in Basel and Ludogorets' shock 2-2 draw at Paris St-Germain.

"We wanted to do our job and got lucky with the PSG result," Wenger said.

Arsenal will avoid Monaco and Barcelona, who eliminated them in 2015 and 2016 respectively, as well as Atletico Madrid and Napoli in Monday's draw.

However, teams they could still be paired with include Bayern Munich, who knocked them out in 2013 and 2014, and one of Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid.

"We can still have a difficult draw," said Wenger. "But there's less guilt when you finish first in the group because you feel you have done your job and you play the second leg of the first knockout tie at home.

"It is what we wanted but, at the moment, the difficulty of the draw will not be much different."

Champions League - who's going through?
Group A: PSG and Arsenal
Group B: Benfica and Napoli
Group C: Barcelona and Manchester City
Group D: Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich
Group E: Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen
Group F: Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid
Group G: Leicester and one of Porto or FC Copenhagen
Group H: Juventus and one of Sevilla or Lyon
Ludogorets, Besiktas, Borussia Monchengladbach and FC Rostov have confirmed their places in the Europa League

Arsenal's win in Switzerland came thanks to a Lucas Perez hat-trick, the Spaniard more than doubling his Gunners goal tally after making a £17m move from Deportivo La Coruna in August.

He twice tapped into an empty net, and got his third with a neat finish from just inside the 18-yard box.

"The first two were quite easy goals, created by the team," said Wenger. "But the third goal is a real striker's goal.

"He scored over 20 goals in Spain last year and tonight he showed why. He has a real eye for goal."

Champions League Group A table

Analysis

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty

Arsenal's success in topping their group is a tribute to their growing resilience, which saw them draw home and away to PSG in games where they were forced to suffer and battle for long periods.

They also showed the swagger when they needed it to ruthlessly put Basel away to fulfil their side of the bargain while Ludogorets delivered the big favour in Paris.

The different facets the Gunners have shown in coming out on top of the group suggests increasing maturity in Arsene Wenger's team and more justification for his belief they can make their mark in the Champions League this season.

Bossing the back pages

The Guardian, Metro, Daily Star and I newspapers all led with Arsenal on their Wednesday back pages.

Guardian front pageMetro back pageDaily Star back pageThe I back page

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86 comments

  • Comment posted by Deanooo20, at 10:25 7 Dec 2016

    Its nice to see Arsenal and Leicester win their groups!

    Both been excellent in the champions league this year!

  • Comment posted by BaggiosPonytail, at 10:38 7 Dec 2016

    Arsenal have done what they needed to do. Whoever they face in the last 16 they need to go into the matches with confidence. In recent times it looks like they don't believe they are capable of beating one of the elite teams in Europe.

  • Comment posted by Fracking Hell, at 11:13 7 Dec 2016

    It doesn't really matter where you qualify. We drew Monaco a couple of years ago which was supposedly an easier game and got turned over at home. I think on their day this team can beat anyone if the as long as the 4/5 world class players are fit.

  • Comment posted by honest john, at 10:52 7 Dec 2016

    No need for any guilt at Arsenal. Great performance so far this season at European and domestic level.
    Love to see them go all the way this time.

  • Comment posted by User0947355122, at 11:45 7 Dec 2016

    I've always likes Arsenal, a well run club, Wenger is consistent in the top 4 and has been for years.

    It would be amazing too if Leicester got to the final

  • Comment posted by User0239985643, at 10:44 7 Dec 2016

    Well done, Arsenal, and all the best!

  • Comment posted by MangoB, at 11:58 7 Dec 2016

    11. Posted by Old Father Thames on
    1 hour ago
    Arsenal need a Fellaini type of player to get them to Man Utd's level.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Yep. Fellaini in the team would definitely make it harder to qualify for the Champions League next year.

  • Comment posted by Drayy1992, at 11:00 7 Dec 2016

    Don't see why arsenal can't beat Bayern if they turn up away from home it's possible. Real is the one to watch for them in my opinion

  • Comment posted by Philly the kid, at 13:19 7 Dec 2016

    Just to clear up the apparent confusion over AW's "guilt" comment.... He means he feels guilty when we get a tough draw after coming 2nd in the group. This time, we may draw a big name, but at least we did all we could have done, and have the 2nd game at home, instead of away.

  • Comment posted by User0927410547, at 15:44 7 Dec 2016

    Arsenal have maintained a top4 PL place and CL football for a LONG time under Wenger
    They balance their books, play expansive attacking football, have built a world-class stadium and entertained football fans the world over, yet some still attack the manager and board of directors

    Compare those achievements to their mega-rich competitors, then ask if ANYONE deserves more credit than Wenger?

  • Comment posted by LUFCAT, at 11:27 7 Dec 2016

    I think Wenger is too hard on himself. A few clubs who have massively outspent Arsenal would love to finish 2nd in a CL group (or even be in the CL come to that).

  • Comment posted by no1_Luca-Vialli, at 16:10 7 Dec 2016

    Unfortunately as successful as Arsene Wenger has been with Arsenal in terms of building the club since his arrival installing a philosophy and implementing a great youth setup its sad to see that people still try to only rate him on the trophies he has or has not won, any Manager who maintains the level on consistency he has is a great manager

  • Comment posted by Daniel H , at 11:03 7 Dec 2016

    11.

    Arsenal need someone to bring them to Utd's level... of what 8th place in the league?

  • Comment posted by invincibleso4, at 10:52 7 Dec 2016

    No 3 could be worse, could be playing tonight hoping to qualify for Europa league

  • Comment posted by footyfan94, at 13:41 7 Dec 2016

    40.

    Why do people come on here to slag the SPL. Their is far less money than the EPL and Celtic have hardly embarrassed themselves. Two draws against city + a draw against a mid table german is hardly an embarrassment. European football was so more exciting when it wasn't a few rich leagues dominating. In the 70's and 80s Before the money came along Dundee Utd were able to beat Barca home +away

  • Comment posted by king ledley, at 12:51 7 Dec 2016

    23 - "That is some 'bench' that we had last night !!"

    Yes old boy, would've been extremely strong except Bellerin, Coquelin, Santi, Welbeck, Cech were not on the bench ... Eleny was?
    Did you actually watch the game? Also JW is currently on loan therefore not likely to be anywhere near Basel......

  • Comment posted by tatlock, at 15:46 7 Dec 2016

    @57. That's your problem john, it's all about how many trophies a team has won. Am I not right in saying that your team have not won the most trophies even in their own home town !! I think that would be Rangers. Arsenal are more relevant, are a bigger club, and are supported by pure football fans. As are all the clubs in the PL. your club is built on other affiliations not welcome in England.

  • Comment posted by footyfan94, at 10:45 7 Dec 2016

    Knowing Arsenal they will almost definitely get Real Madrid or Bayern in the next round. They unfortunately tend to have little luck.

  • Comment posted by LUFCAT, at 16:18 7 Dec 2016

    Arsene Wenger has won 3 EPL's and 6 FA Cups for Arsenal, speaks for itself really. Now that he can spend a bit of money his team looks like adding to that total.

  • Comment posted by EntertainAtAllCosts, at 12:51 7 Dec 2016

    I might get shouted down, but a team (any team) can only go so far if it has someone as wasteful in possession as Iwobi was last night (and, to be fair, on many previous occasions this season).

    He might have scored with a tap in, but I'd like to see his ball retention stat. It might have been as low as 30%. That's not going to cut it, particularly against even a half decent last 16 UCL side.

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