• Manager fears teams who 'can take who they
want'
• Rest of Europe are playing catchup to rich cartel
Arsène Wenger
has spoken of his fear that Arsenal are
being left behind by a financially elite cartel led by
Barcelona
and Real Madrid.
Arsenal's manager also name-checked Chelsea and Manchester City as
part of a group of clubs whose spending power has separated them
from the rest of Europe's sides.
Arsenal start their Champions League group stage campaign
at the German champions, Borussia Dortmund, on Tuesday night, and
Wenger – in measured and realistic mood – accepted that his club
are among those being forced to play catchup. The Frenchman
foresees an economic meltdown across Europe and he said that it may
be the only thing to rein in Barcelona and Real, who have benefited
greatly from being able to negotiate individual television rights
contracts in Spain. The Premier League has always had a collective
agreement.
"I believe that this season, I see two teams that are above the
rest – Real Madrid and Barcelona – and the rest have to catch up
during the season," Wenger said. "So for us, it's a new start
because we are a new squad. What is at stake during the group stage
for us is to show that we can go through.
"We are in our 14th season in the Champions League group phase
and what has changed is that the competition inside England has
become bigger among the top teams.
"It is as difficult to win the Champions League because a team
that wins the Premier League is in the Champions League final
almost every year.
"Outside the country, Barça and Real Madrid have much more
financial power than they had 14 years ago because they have
individualised their TV rights. So they, at the moment, with teams
like Man City and Chelsea can take who they want."
Wenger was asked directly about the emergence of a clutch of
clubs with financial might that outstrips the rest, and the
attendant difficulties for a club such as Arsenal. "You know about
it, I don't need to explain that," he replied. "We have seen the
first signs of some resistance in Spain, where everybody
complains.
"I believe that Europe overall, as a unit, is going towards a
massive crisis, which nobody really expects now. I am convinced
that Europe will go into a huge financial crisis within the next
three weeks or three months and maybe that will put everything into
perspective again.
"Football is not untouchable. We live with people going to the
stadiums as well and from advertising from people who buy products.
All our income could be a little bit under threat in the next few
months. Football is not only about money. We believe in ourselves
that we can compete with them but it's as simple as this."
Wenger's mood took in the acceptance that Arsenal would enter
the Champions League as only an outside bet to win it and fill the
one significant gap on his CV. He has said that the club endured
the summer from "hell" and only now does it seem that they are in
the throes of an escape. The 1-0 Premier League win over Swansea
City represented the start of the process and a big relief.
"We are full of hope but I understand why people raise that
question [about Arsenal not being equipped to win the Champions
League]," said Wenger, whose team came through a play-off tie
against Udinese to reach the group stage. "We have not had a
particularly strong start in the league. We have had five players
coming in [just before the transfer deadline] and nobody knows how
good they will be.
"I wouldn't rule it out but it's too early to speak about
winning it [the Champions League]. Saying that would raise a lot of
scepticism about the team and I don't think anyone would believe
it. But we have to do as well as we can and we have to form a team
in the next two months. It's too early to have that kind of
ambition."