Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal can defy the odds as former Monaco manager knows he will be expected to gamble on his first competitive return to Monte Carlo

 

In seven years as Monaco boss Arsene Wenger was never once distracted by the lure of its famous casino.

'I spent a lot of time on the football pitches, I don't think anyone saw me in there,' said Wenger, as he arrived at the Stade Louis II on Monday night, aware that on his first competitive return to Monte Carlo he will be expected to gamble.

Arsenal paid the price for taking risks in the first leg and lost 3-1. As a result history is stacked against them. In the Champions League era, no team has overturned a deficit of two or more goals having played at home first.

Delve back into the European Cup and Ajax were the last to manage it, when they needed a play-off to beat Benfica in 1969. Wenger was still playing for Mutzig in the French third division back then, and Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim was not yet born.

'The statistics are against us, we are conscious of that,' said the Arsenal boss. 'We have to give absolutely everything to make the stats lie. That's our desire. We believe we can do it and I'm confident we will. If we didn't believe we wouldn't be here. Football is not predictable.

'We totally missed the first leg, which was surprising. We did not play well. Sometimes in life if you miss a chance, you do not have a second chance, but we do, so we will play it fully.'

But he would not commit to a gung-ho charge from the outset. 'Early goals or late goals but we need full power and must not forget the organisation and structure of the team,' he added.

Disturbing stats lay behind the headline stat. Monaco have not lost a European tie at the Stade Louis II for 10 years. And they have not lost one at home by a score which would knock them out since Leeds won 3-0 here, nearly 20 years ago.

Arsenal must score three and hope to keep Jardim's team at bay, something they were unable to do in London.

Wenger has no shortage of creative flair at his disposal and backed France striker Olivier Giroud, who has scored six in seven, to make amends for chances missed at the Emirates Stadium.

It might be easier if Monaco were not so miserly. But this team is built on a stern defence. They have conceded only once in the last 12 home games and did not let in a goal in three home Champions League group games.

Despite all this, Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker echoed the idea that belief in the camp is strong, and has been improved by a team meeting in the aftermath of the first-leg defeat, three weeks ago.