Giroud seems likely to spearhead the attack in Paris but Wenger, who has presided over all of Arsenal’s Champions League campaigns, was guarded about his lineup.
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“I have not decided that”, he told a news conference on Monday. Both players have less than two years left on their current contracts. I have 24 hours. Is he ready to start?
Wenger added that Laurent Koscielny is in contention to start despite getting a kick in the face on Saturday.
Wenger’s contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season, but he said his situation does not put him under extra pressure to finally deliver the Champions League title. PSG should be able to compete with any team in the world but it will be tough for them against Arsenal as they are still rebuilding so I am going to be surprised if they can win this game. But Wenger rejected the notion that victory was essential against probably their most risky group opponents. So, when we win matches, there are positive press and when we lose there is criticism. “We have scored goals since the start of the season, but we bought one more striker because we thought we needed one more let’s give him time and not judge him too quickly”.
“Last year, we were second in the group because Bayern [Munich] were in front of us”. “We did beat Bayern at home, but they were more consistent”.
“I just focus on the next game, I don’t think like that”.
“It’s important that we play our game and try to get the three points”.
“It’s work, the progression of that work in order to improve and today, for me, I am confident that with work, when I know all the players and the whole team, the championship, the Champions League, that we will do better”, he said.
The French champions have undergone many changes during the summer, chief of which saw Unai Emery take over as manager and talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic leave to join Manchester United.
The French champions have reached the quarter-finals of the competition in each of the last four years, but they have not progressed to the last four since 1994-95.
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Tuesday’s hosts could receive a timely boost with the return to fitness of Thiago Silva. But they have injury doubts over Javier Pastore, Maxwell and Layvin Kurzawa.
