[ESPNsoccernet]Wenger issues Arsenal warning
Arsene Wenger rates Real Madrid as favourites for the Champions League this season but believes Arsenal's new Spanish influence will make his side a different force to be reckoned with.
The Arsenal manager also claims Patrick Vieira's decision to stay at Highbury boosts the Gunners' chances, while Manchester United's capture of Wayne Rooney makes them a greater threat.
Speaking after UEFA's elite club coaches forum in Nyon, Switzerland, Wenger said: 'All the Spanish teams will be strong.
'Barcelona have a very good side this season. Real Madrid have strengthened their defence and they should be better at the back, and they have the players to compete at the highest level in the Champions League. I also respect Jose Antonio Camacho as a coach, he's very competent.
'But they have not got Patrick Vieira, for the simple reason he changed his mind at the last minute without any pressure from us or anybody.
'Real Madrid usually get want they want but on this occasion it didn't work. At first Patrick Vieira wanted to go to Real Madrid but then he changed his mind.'
Two of Arsenal's flourishing young players are Spanish - Jose Reyes and Cesc Fabregas - and Wenger brushed aside suggestions that Fabregas would automatically be the one to make way when Vieira returns.
Wenger, who refused to confirm or deny whether he was offered the Real job and did not rule out coaching in Spain in the future, said: 'I like good players and the Spanish have a good technical level and a good footballing education.
'I like them especially when they are young, they love to play and they have a good spirit.
'Fabregas can play with anybody. We have four or five midfielders who are all very, very good and the ones who don't play can rightly feel sorry because for me they all have the qualities to play.'
As to Rooney, Wenger is in no doubt the 18-year-old will have a major impact at United, saying: 'Will United be stronger? Yes, certainly - and unfortunately, yes!'
Claudio Ranieri, in Nyon in his capacity as coach of Valencia, puts his former club Chelsea among the favourites to be European champions.
Ranieri said: 'The favourites are the same as usual - Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester United, Arsenal but Chelsea too, they have a good team. We got to the semi-finals last season so why not?'
翻译:christopharn (未经本人和www.arsenalcn.com 同意请勿转载)
温格发出来自阿森纳的警告
阿尔塞纳・温格将皇家马德里队列为本赛季欧洲冠军联赛的夺标热门。但他同时相信,阿森纳队中来自西班牙的新兴力量会使球队同样受人关注。
这位阿森纳队的主教练断言,帕特里克・维埃拉留在海布里的决定增加了枪手们夺冠的机会,而曼联在获得鲁尼之后也将更具威胁。
参加了在瑞士尼翁(Nyon)举行的欧足联顶级俱乐部主教练论坛后,温格表示:“所有的西班牙球队都很强大。这个赛季巴塞罗那的阵容很棒。皇马在加强了后防线之后,他们的防守将有所改观,而他们的球员也足以胜任欧洲冠军联赛这样的顶级赛事。同时我很敬重何塞・安东尼奥・卡马乔,因为他是一位非常称职的主教练。”
“不过,皇马没能带走维埃拉。原因很简单,因为维埃拉在最后时刻自己改变了主意。我们或其他什么人并没有给他施加任何压力。皇马总是能得到他们想要的,不过这一次他们没能如愿以偿。维埃拉一开始确实想去皇马,可后来他变卦了。”
阿森纳队中有两名来自西班牙的阳光男孩——何塞・雷耶斯和塞斯克・法布雷加斯。对于维埃拉复出后,法布雷加斯应该自动让位的建议,温格不以为然。
温格对于皇马是否曾邀请过他执教一事没有作答,并且没有否认自己今后有可能去西班牙执教。他说:“我喜欢优秀的球员,而西班牙球员拥有出众的技术,并受过良好的足球训练。当他们年轻时,我特别喜欢他们,因为他们对比赛的渴望,因为他们充满活力。
“法布雷加斯配得上和任何球员同场竞技。我们拥有4、5名非常非常优秀的中场球员。当其中的一个人不能上场时他会感到遗憾,这很正常。因为在我看来,他们每个人都具备了上场比赛的资格。”
谈到鲁尼时,温格毫不怀疑这个18岁的年轻人会在曼联大有作为,他说:“曼联是不是会更加强大?当然,这是肯定的。不过对我们来说,这可不是一个好消息。”
另外,作为巴伦西亚俱乐部的主教练,克罗迪奥・拉涅利也来到了尼翁。他将自己的老东家——切尔西也列入了欧洲冠军联赛的夺标热门中。拉涅利说:“热门球队和以往一样,皇马、AC米兰、曼联、阿森纳,当然还有切尔西。他们是一支强队,我们在上个赛季打进了半决赛,不是吗?”
[3 September 2004]
消息来源: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=309168&cc=4716