Wenger has faith after Arsenal set up showdown
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Article summary
"We can do it," Arsène Wenger said after setting up a matchday six showdown with Olympiacos with a defeat of Dinamo Zagreb that left Zoran Mamić saluting the victors.
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Article body
- Arsenal set up pivotal matchday six game at Olympiacos by beating Dinamo Zagreb
- Arsène Wenger hopeful his side can get the result needed in Greece to progress
- Zoran Mamić acknowledges victors were "much better – they controlled the game"
- Final Group F fixtures: Dinamo Zagreb v Bayern, Olympiacos v Arsenal (9 December)
Arsène Wenger, Arsenal manager
We produced a performance of quality. I believe the speed of our passing and movement gave Zagreb a problem. Once we scored the first goal you could see the chances were coming. We had a game of quality that we controlled well.
What we wanted was to come out of the game with a chance to qualify. We needed to do our job and Bayern needed to do their job – both did it well and it gives us a chance. How big the chance is I don't know, but we can do it. We need to win. One advantage is that the task is very clear.
I have been to Olympiacos before having already qualified – this time we go having to qualify. It's tough but we have to believe we can do it, and I believe we can do it. We have a chance to make right what we haven't done right until now.
Zoran Mamić, Dinamo coach
Congratulations to Arsenal on the win – they were much the better team, and much better than when we played them in Zagreb. They did lots of combinations, they were very motivated and when they have players like Sánchez, Cazorla and the rest, it is not easy to play against them.
We tried our best and started well but when they turned the pace on it was very difficult for us – especially the second goal which was from our mistake. We tried to take the ball from them but they were pressing high, were good on the counterattack and controlled the match.
I'm sure Arsenal can go through. They have a big chance. They have a lot of quality, much more than Olympiacos. In my opinion they will go through. I think it's a bigger experience for us than before. Every match is important and all my players have gained lots of experience from the campaign.
We are a much stronger team than we were a few years ago. We showed that in the two matches against Olympiacos and in our first game against Arsenal. We have to be honest and say there is quite a bit of difference in strength, quality of player, money ... With our budget and our Croatian league we have difficulties coping with such opposition.