
Arsene Wenger is still very much thinking about last season's Champions League final. Every time a European clash approaches the gunners' schedule, Wenger's memories of last year's final come into play. After leading Barcelona 1-0 in 10 men, Arsenal conceded 2 times in the last 15 minutes and lost their chance to lift the trophy for the last time in club's history.
It was the closest Arsene Wenger got to winning the European title in the 10 years since he's been training the gunners: "
No matter when I stop, I will always feel I have not
done enough. I will always have that feeling - even if I won the Champions League three seasons running, I'd still think it. It is in me, I don't know why but it is", admitted Wenger to BBC Sport.
He also revealed that the match is still haunting him everywhere he goes: "
I have not intentionally watched it again but I have seen it again. When I come in to training, we always have people who watch videos. Even when you do not want to watch it, you get to training and people are looking at it".
Wenger had to change his entire tactic 10 minutes into the match, when the ref eliminated Jens Lehman for a fault outside the penalty area. From that point on, Arsenal had to run twice as before and got the opener thanks to a header by Sol Campbell. Thierry Henry had 2 great scoring chances in the second half, but it was Barcelona who got the equalizer late in the match. Belletti scored Barca's winner only minutes later, to bring the Catalan side its first European crown in more than a decade.
"
We should have won it, yes, because we had the chances to score the second goal and also because we lacked a bit of experience in the way we conceded the goal. However, you cannot say it was a big failure on the day, that the team did not turn up. We gave absolutely everything, were a bit unlucky and a bit lacking in experience", added Wenger.
Arsenal managed to maintain a record of 11 matches without conceding in the Champions League last season, before entering the final. This season, Arsene Wenger's squad is unbeaten in Europe, and began its CL campaign with a convincing 2-1 away win over Hamburger SV. They now host FC Porto in Group G's second round.