Wenger - Why this year's qualifier is a dangerous game

Arsène Wenger is well aware of the dangers posed by Arsenal's third successive foray into the Champions League qualifiers.

The Frenchman will have to prepare his squad for a two-legged tie in August after finishing third behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the title race. Dinamo Zagreb and Sparta Prague were dispatched with relative ease in the past two years but Wenger expects a tougher assignment this summer. At a Q&A with Arsenal shareholders last week, he explained why.

"Next season it is a dangerous qualifier because it is a European Championship year," said Wenger. "You need to give some rest to the players and the time to prepare for the qualifier is very short.

"As well the qualifier becomes more difficult every year because the Eastern European countries have more money to buy good players so the competition becomes harder. So it is a dangerous game.

"I don't believe it had a negative impact this season. It can do because you lose a Premier League game at the start of the season when you play your qualifier but this season we were right up front in the League, we didn't drop places."

The same was not true of 2006 when Arsenal cruised past Dinamo Zagreb to reach the Champions League group stage but stuttered in the Premier League, failing to win any of their first three fixtures. That was, of course, a World Cup year.

At first glance this summer looks less tricky with just one continent competing for a major tournament. But in reality it is not just Arsenal's European internationals who will be occupied in June.

"We are not completely sure yet but we could have 10 to 12 players at Euro 2008," said Wenger. And don't forget there are other players away too. The African players play four World Cup qualifiers. The South American players play as well and some of them are away as late as the European Championship players.

"The last African qualifier is June 21. They say always that they cannot organise the Africa Cup of Nations during the summer but they play all their qualifiers in the summer!"