- Title: Family affair helps Wenger prepare for Arsenal-Basel match
- Date: 27th September 2016
- Summary: LONDON COLNEY, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER AND ARSENAL FORWARD, THEO WALCOTT ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "Yes of course a little bit because (Granit) Xhaka plays against (Taulant) Xhaka tomorrow and so it's a family job basically. So I think they might hide each other some truth as well; but of course we know Basel well because we have bought (Mohamed) Elneny last season from Basel and I know them quite well but it's the team that dominates the Swiss championship, who has excellent results in England because they have beaten everybody in England; Man United and Chelsea and Liverpool so they have made strong results in Europe." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "They have a huge experience at the club and this experience goes through the generations so that's why they're not intimidated and I don't expect them to be intimidated at all. On the other hand, they have nothing to lose as well if you go to Arsenal. They are a team; they know they have qualities, so they have nothing to lose to that's always dangerous." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "As you said in recent years we came always out of the group stage. Last year, let's say with difficulties because we made it difficult for ourselves and we have learned as well that in the group stage it's not only important to qualify but if possible qualify as top of the group which gives you much...many more chances after to go through." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL FORWARD, THEO WALCOTT, SAYING: "Yes, positive result (3-0 win against Chelsea). You know, the energy is very high in the group at the moment, we're a tight group but we've got to be completely honest and we just need to forget about this game now and obviously we've got a very difficult game on tomorrow night; they're going to be some way similar to Chelsea. Obviously, they've had some fantastic results in their league and it's this stage we find difficult at home so we need to make sure we put that right tomorrow." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "He's out for the game tomorrow but it should be a short-term injury because the scan was quite positive and I think it would be three weeks out." JOURNALISTS AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 12th October 2016 13:18
- Keywords: Arsenal Basel Champions League Wenger
- Location: LONDON COLNEY, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON COLNEY, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00151CDHZ3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: It will be a family affair at the Emirates on Wednesday (September 28) when Arsenal midfielder, Granit Xhaka, faces his brother, Basel midfielder Taulant Xhaka, in the Champions League.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger joked that he had been receiving some inside information from his midfielder ahead of their second Group A match in this season's competition.
"Yes of course a little bit because (Granit) Xhaka plays against (Taulant) Xhaka tomorrow and so it's a family job basically. So I think they might hide each other some truth as well," Wenger said at a news conference on Tuesday (September 27).
The Frenchman added that he has a good knowledge of the Swiss champions after signing Egyptian Mohamed Elneny from Basel last season and watching their previous strong performances in the Champions League.
"I think they might hide each other some truth as well; but of course we know Basel well because we have bought (Mohamed) Elneny last season from Basel and I know them quite well but it's the team that dominates the Swiss championship, who has excellent results in England because they have beaten everybody in England; Man United and Chelsea and Liverpool so they have made strong results in Europe," Wenger said.
"They have a huge experience at the club and this experience goes through the generations so that's why they're not intimidated and I don't expect them to be intimidated at all. On the other hand, they have nothing to lose as well if you go to Arsenal. They are a team; they know they have qualities, so they have nothing to lose to that's always dangerous."
Arsenal got off to a solid start in Europe this year after earning a 1-1 draw away to Paris St Germain two weeks ago and Wenger is hoping the club can finish top of their group - something they haven't done since the 2011-12 season.
"In recent years we came always out of the group stage. Last year, let's say with difficulties because we made it difficult for ourselves and we have learned as well that in the group stage it's not only important to qualify but if possible qualify as top of the group which gives you much...many more chances after to go through," Wenger said.
Theo Walcott said the mood in the squad is good at the moment following the team's 3-0 win against Chelsea in the Premier League.
"Yes, positive result (3-0 win against Chelsea). You know, the energy is very high in the group at the moment, we're a tight group but we've got to be completely honest and we just need to forget about this game now and obviously we've got a very difficult game on tomorrow night; they're going to be some way similar to Chelsea. Obviously, they've had some fantastic results in their league and it's this stage we find difficult at home so we need to make sure we put that right tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Wenger has allayed fears that Francis Coquelin could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, describing the midfielder's knee injury as "short-term".
Coquelin was forced off in the first half of Arsenal's 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea on Saturday (September 24).
The 25-year-old Frenchman missed around two months of last season with a knee injury, but Wenger played down concerns of a recurrence.
"Francis Coquelin is out for the game tomorrow - it should be a short-term injury. The scan was quite positive," Wenger said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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