No divine right to win Champions League, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger maintains no English club has a divine right to win in Europe - and believes it is a “miracle” Arsenal manage to consistently qualify for the Champions League.

From the four Barclays Premiership sides in action in the first leg of their second-round matches earlier this week, only Liverpool were able to record a victory – and that 3-1 win came at Anfield.

While Manchester United went down at home to AC Milan, Barcelona came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 in the Nou Camp – and Arsenal lost 3-1 at Bayern Munich.

Despite the world-class talent on display in the English top flight, no English side has made the Champions League final since Manchester United six years ago.

“I don’t know where this English superiority complex comes from, that in the European Cup we have just to turn up and win,” said Wenger.

“Bayern Munich have won the European Cup four times, and Arsenal zero. Where have Arsenal won anything in Europe? The Cup Winners’ Cup or the UEFA Cup – but that’s not the champions’ cup.

“What right do we have to walk out and say we have to win in the European Cup against Bayern Munich?

“People say they are not as strong this time around – but they are the leaders of the Bundesliga. You cannot be weak to be top of the German League. It is a strong championship.”

Wenger believes – given the relative financial resources of the north London club, which will increase significantly when they complete a switch to the new Emirates Stadium – to ensure European football each season is an achievement in itself.

“I think it is a miracle that Arsenal are in the Champions League every year, considering the strength of the English league,” he said.

“When you’re here every year people think you have the right to win it. No, you have Real Madrid, you have (AC) Milan – Milan went to Manchester United and won 1-0.

“Why should Arsenal suddenly have the right to be stronger than Milan just because they appear every year?

“We have a chance, that is true, but it is not a scandal that we don’t win the Champions League.”

The Arsenal boss is, however, quick to defend the overall standard of the Premiership. “I don’t think that the English league is stronger than the Italian or the Spanish league,” he said.

“It’s a strong league, but you cannot say it is much stronger than the Italian or the Spanish league.

“Even if the Spanish league is weak every year you will come up against a Real Madrid side who will be capable of having a good team.

“Real Madrid and Barcelona always have 11 very strong players, because they always have the financial potential to compete for the best players in the world.”

While Wenger has been hugely successful during his Highbury career, he has yet to win Europe’s top club prize – something Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and United’s Alex Ferguson have both already achieved.

The Frenchman said: “I feel what is important for a coach is to show consistency and to be always there with quality – not one day yes, then one day no.

“After that you let people judge how good you have been or how bad you have been. I feel we still have a good chance.

“Everybody writes us off at the moment. I still believe we can do it. At the end of the season, if I am wrong I am wrong – then we start again, because life is like that.”