Gunners aiming high

Arsenal are setting their sights on going one better than last season by winning their first Champions League title, after hearing they will face old foes PSV Eindhoven in the first knockout stage.

The Gunners discovered the identity of their last-16 opponents at today’s draw in Nyon which also threw up enticing ties for Britain’s other remaining hopefuls.

Liverpool will face Barcelona; Chelsea are up against manager Jose Mourinho’s old club Porto; Manchester United have a chance to set the record straight against Lille, and Celtic need to get the better of AC Milan.

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein is not setting too much store in his club’s recent Champions League history against PSV, as he looks forward to this season’s tie – to be played over two legs, starting in late February.

“PSV have done very well, and it will not be easy,” he predicted. “But it was the same last year – at this stage of the competition they are all good teams.”

Asked about the Gunners’ familiarity with their opponents, he told Sky Sports: “Teams change year on year, so it is never quite as simple as you think.”

Dein is optimistic nonetheless that Arsene Wenger’s team will once again prove their mettle as they set their sights on a second successive final, at Athens on May 23 this time round.

“We want to win the Champions League and we came very close last season. This time we want to go one better,” he said. “This is a competition we have never won before – and we are determined to win it.”

Dein has no doubt Wenger has assembled a squad – despite their struggle to keep tabs on United and Chelsea at home – capable of taking on the best in Europe.

“Arsene is very confident with the boys he has,” he said. “The team is evolving nicely, and we have to continue the start we have made to the tournament. If we keep everybody together these are very exciting times for the club.”

United, meanwhile, are intent on erasing memories of their early elimination from this competition last season – when Lille, among others, inflicted some of the damage at Old Trafford.

Club secretary Ken Merritt said: “The players have improved since last year.”

He takes little note of the fact Lille are unlikely to be able to play their ‘home’ leg at their own ground.

“They have played all the group stages away from Lille and have still qualified – so it has not made a great impact,” he reasoned.

“We need to get a good result there and then do the business against them at Old Trafford – which we did not do last time. You want to fight on every front – but you cannot take things for granted.”

Liverpool club secretary Bryce Morrison appears delighted his club have been paired with Barcelona.

“They don’t come much bigger than that. We are relishing these games,” he said, recollecting Liverpool’s Champions League glory season of 2004/05.

“We hope we can go all the way once again, starting with this big one,” Morrison concluded.