http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 to fail in Champions League qualification
Arsenal centre-half, Johan Djourou, has claimed that it is ‘unthinkable’ for the Gunners to fail to qualify for next year’s UEFA Champions League after failing to earn automatic qualification.
Djourou said, “We have to be in the Champions League - it would be unthinkable not to be.”
The Swiss international insisted that it was disappointing for Arsenal not to earn automatic qualification but believes that the Gunners have the strength and quality to qualify for the group stages of the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League.
Arsene Wenger’s men were in a similar situation in 2009, where they defeated Scottish giants Celtics to make it through to the group stages of the European competition, and Djourou is confident that the Gunners will be able to repeat the same stint.
“We have to make sure we get through the play-off. We are quite capable of doing it - we have nothing to fear. We've been in this situation before against Celtic and it wasn't ideal, but we got the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Job-c18684 done.” The 24-year-old defender added.
Djourou admitted that Arsenal endured a horrible campaign last season, as the Gunners failed to end their six-year trophy drought. Wenger’s men looked favourites to deliver at least a trophy; at one point in the season, they were the only team contesting in four different competitions.
Arsenal reached the final of the Carling Cup but were defeated by the Barclays Premier League minnows, Birmingham City. Following that, the Gunners failed to recover and their disappointing run continued until the end of the season. After being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, the Gunners only managed to get 12 points in last 11 League matches, which saw them finish fourth in the Barclays Premier League.
Djourou wants Arsenal to forget about the last season and bounce back strongly in the upcoming campaign. The Swiss international said, “We know last season was not the best but we have a chance to put that behind us now and have some success.”
Arsenal could face stiff competition in the UEFA Champions League play-offs. They could potentially face Udinese, Dynamo Kiev or Rubin Kazan. The draw on August 5 at Nyon will decide the Gunners opponent.
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