Arsenal must decide if they want Europa League success, says Cech
Arsenal must go into their Europa League campaign with the intention
of winning the tournament or set themselves different priorities for the
season, goalkeeper Petr Cech has said.
The
London side host Germany’s Cologne in Europe’s second-tier competition
on Thursday and Cech, who won the title with Chelsea in the 2012-13
season, said the club must take a call on how they approach the
tournament.
“You make your decision,” he told London’s Evening Standard.
”At
Chelsea, we were really disappointed to have been knocked out of the
group stage (of the Champions League) but we decided that for the first
time and the last time, hopefully, we play in the Europa League so we
want to win.
“...either you take it seriously
and you go to win it and you give yourself the chance to do it or you
give yourself different priorities and see how it goes.”
Arsenal,
fifth in the Premier League last season, missed qualifying for the
Champions League for the first time in 20 years and coach Arsene Wenger
has indicated the club could focus on winning their first league title
since 2004 this year.
Wenger, who has suggested
he may rest key players in Europa League matches, will have to take a
call on fielding striker Alexis Sanchez against the German side on
Thursday.
The Chilean was jeered by sections of
the crowd at the Emirates Stadium during his brief appearance as a
substitute in the 3-0 league win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
However
Cech said Sanchez, who was linked with a move to rivals Manchester City
in the summer, was committed to the team’s cause.
“I spoke with Alexis and he wants to win,” Cech said.
“Sometimes
people say ‘he does this, he does that’ but I think in a way, he is a
guy who plays with all his passion and all his heart.”
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