Arsene Wenger shuts down Wayne Rooney’s claim about Arsenal with ‘severe’ statement on Champions League

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Arsenal head to Paris in a make or break Champions League semi-final second leg.

Mikel Arteta shared a positive fitness update ahead of the game as both Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard are expected to be fit for the clash, alongside Riccardo Calafiori.

Arsenal have done their research on the referee and Arteta has made his players aware of how Felix Zwayer operates in such a crucial encounter.

Declan Rice disagrees with Wayne Rooney over his recent comments that Arsenal have a ‘psychological fear of not getting over the line’ and now Arsene Wenger has had his say on the matter.

READ MORE: Arsene Wenger details ‘mistake’ he made as Arsenal boss in private discussion with former transfer target

Arsene Wenger disagrees with Wayne Rooney’s Arsenal claim

Speaking on beIN Sports post match coverage of Inter Milan’s victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, Wenger has passionately defended the Gunners from Rooney’s claim.

In response to Rooney questioning whether Arsenal have a ‘fear’ of trophies, Wenger stated: “I don’t know, you need to be inside the group to know that. I don’t have that feeling but there are a few years now where they’re close and maybe it has a weight.

“But at some stage you have to get it out and the best way to get it out is to go out on the pitch and turn up and win a big game, massive game.”

The former Gunners boss was then quick to round off his argument by shutting down Rooney’s claim, he thought it was ‘severe’.

Wenger explained: “Tomorrow we have an opportunity, we have nothing to lose. I think that judgement [from Rooney] is severe and not deserved.”

Arsenal’s last trophy was in 2020 under Mikel Arteta

Arsenal have had trophy droughts in the past, Wenger himself was involved in a nine year drought from 2005 until winning the FA Cup in 2014.

Arteta’s side have come ever so close to winning the Premier League twice and have featured in Carabao Cup semi finals since their last trophy in 2020.

The Gunners now head to Paris in hope of turning around the tie and landing the biggest trophy of them all but they will have to improve on Arteta’s shocking semi-final record.

It is games like these where big players and big teams deliver and Arsenal can wash away all criticism with victory in Paris.