Wenger Offers Latest Arsenal Team News Ahead Of Bayern Munich Clash

Arsenal play host to Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Boss Arsene Wenger has been speaking at his pre-match press conference today and gave Arsenal.com the latest team news ahead of the game.

The good news is that the Gunners didn’t pick up any fresh injury worries from Sunday’s 2-1 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup. Wenger made a number of changes for that game so several players are expected to be recalled tomorrow night.

Tomas Rosicky was left out of the squad entirely to face Liverpool and Wenger has confirmed the midfielder will be back to face Bayern, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll force his way into the starting line-up.

Wenger told the clubs website today:

on the latest team news…

All the players have recovered from Sunday and we have no big injury from that game.

on changes for the Bayern game…

Arteta is suspended, Rosicky comes back into the group. So it will be the squad that played against Liverpool, plus Rosicky.

Jack Wilshere was another who didn’t feature at the weekend with Wenger claiming after the game that he had a stiff back, while Kieran Gibbs – who had a minor muscular problem – only came on as a late second half sub, so both of these two are expected to be recalled against Munich.

Olivier Giroud and Bacary Sagna will also come back in to the starting eleven having been rested on Sunday while Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo – who made his debut at the weekend – will battle it out for a place on the bench.

Unfortunately Mikel Arteta is suspended having been sent off against Napoli in the group stages, and he joins injured quintet Aaron Ramsey, Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby and Kim Kallstrom on the sidelines.

Here’s what Arsene told Arsenal.com yesterday:

On fitness issues…

Jack Wilshere had a stiff back, after that Cazorla was ill, Gibbs had a little muscular problem, Sagna was tired. But I kept the defensive stability with Mertesacker and Koscielny. I rested Rosicky completely. They will be OK for Wednesday, but we lose Arteta, who is suspended for Wednesday night.

on Olivier Giroud being rested…

He looked a bit tired and… I know where you [the reporters] want to lead me, slowly but surely… he has made a statement and we will deal with it internally. I don’t think there is much more to add to that because I want to respect his privacy as well. I haven’t seen it [his statement].

on Nicklas Bendtner…

Yes of course [he is disappointed not to be in the squad]. He works very hard, very well, but I wanted to give a chance to Sanogo, and I think overall the performance of Sanogo justified it. Bendtner is fit at the moment, and sharp.

A positive result at home is essential if Arsenal want to give themselves a decent chance of progressing to the quarter finals. Bayern arrive in formidable form but we will no doubt take great confidence from the 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena 12 months ago, and we ourselves are a far more solid unit than we were the last time we faced the Germans.

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