Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his players that they cannot rely on winning the Champions League in order to qualify for the competition next season.

With Arsenal struggling domestically this season, there has been talk that they will have to win the competition outright.

Although the Gunners are lying seventh in the Premier League, Wenger believes qualification through a strong Premiership finish remains a possibility.

Despite overcoming Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League encounter, Wenger believes that it is far too early to be talking about winning the competition.

”We are still only in the last 16 so it’s too early to say winning the Champions League could be our best chance of getting back there again next season,” Wenger told the Daily Mirror.

”I feel at the moment we have to focus on The Premiership and it would be criminal to give up on that.

”We are close to getting results away from home but we are lacking that little bit at the moment that we have to find between now and the end of the season.

”Nights like Tuesday against Real Madrid should remind the players what they are playing for.

”Long-term, if they want to get back in there, we have to take care of results in The Premiership, but at the moment that is the big worry.”

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