Arsène Wenger
Wenger - Porto among potential winners
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By Nick Teale
Arsène Wenger believes Porto are one of 10 teams who could walk away as European champions in May.
The Portuguese outfit won the Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2004 but since then they have reached the Quarter-Finals just once.
The competition has had 11 different winners since its name changed from the European Cup to the Champions League at the start of the 1992/93 season, and Wenger believes Porto are one of 10 sides who could be crowned champions in Madrid this season.
"In the Champions League I wouldn't say that any team in the last 16 can win it," the manager admitted.
"I would say you have 10 teams who can win it, not more. Porto are among the group that can be contenders, I would say they are one of the 10, yes."
Arsenal's last two trips to Porto have resulted in a defeat and a draw. However, both of those games came at the end of the Group Stage, in 2008/09 and 2006/07 respectively.
This time the game is the first of a two-legged knockout tie, meaning a totally different approach for Arsenal.
"It is completely different because last time we were not under pressure to deliver a result. This time we are," said Wenger.
"For us the basic problem is ‘let's go over there and make a good result that keeps us in the tie for the second home game'. Any positive result is, of course, welcome.
"Ideally you want to score and you know that we always go with that idea. We try always to score."
[Tuesday, February 16, 2010]
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