Wenger: 'We played with authority and maturity'

On his team's performance...
"I have big respect for Milan, but my team deserves a lot of credit - having come here and beaten a team like them. We have given the performance we wanted. We played with organisation and never dropped off. We did not give them time and went forward every time we could. We played with authority, maturity, talent and intelligence.

"We have knocked out the holders. This team is very young, but we have won at Bernabeu and San Siro, so you need some quality to do that. On the day we were better than Milan, but maybe we play against them on Friday and it will be different."

On a growing belief within the camp...
"Sometimes as manager, you feel there is something in the team and you know that for them to get a step higher up they have to deliver in a big game like tonight. I hope this will strengthen the belief in the team.

"The players grow. I feel tonight they deserve a lot of credit, because our confidence level in the camp has dropped a bit. We have not been in the most positive environment recently, from the media. I like the fact the team finds the mental strength to play without restriction."

On Arsenal's mental strength...
"The players grow. I feel they deserve a lot of credit, because our confidence level in the camp has dropped a bit. We have not been in the most positive environment recently, from the media. But I like the fact the team finds the mental strength to play without restriction.

"Now we have to keep a good balance between belief and humility - that is a very important quality as well because it allows a team to be consistent."

On Arsenal's chances of winning the Champions League...
"The competition is very hard now. It is a cup competition, and you have to take it like that. We will go for it - we are in the quarter-final, so why should we not believe we can do it.

"The growing process of a team is a bit like a wave, it goes up suddenly, then down with a few bad results, then it goes up high again.
 
"This game was of huge significance for my team because in between they did not deliver a convincing result. "Subconsciously for the team, it was very important to see how good they are."