Champions League qualification is our trophy – Arsene Wenger

Arsenal Football Club manager, Arsene Wenger has launched a stunning defence of his Arsenal record, claiming qualifying for the Champions League is like winning a trophy. It is no longer news that the Gunners have been without silverware for over seven years. But they are in Europe’s top competition for the 15th consecutive year.

Speaking at the club’s annunal general meeting on Thursday, the Arsenal boss said: “For me, there are five ’trophies’… The first is to win the Premier League, the second is to win the Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League, the fourth is to win the FA Cup and the fifth is to win the League Cup.”

He continues: “I say that because if you want to attract the best players, they do not ask ‘did you win the League Cup?’, they ask you ’do you play in the Champions League?’”

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis, chairman Peter Hill-Wood and majority shareholder Stan Kroenke were all heckled at the AGM over the club’s financial strategy. Wenger, though, received a warm reception after his address, which had opened with an apology for the back-to-back defeats against Norwich and Schalke. He said: “If everybody is absolutely devastated when we finish third in the league, I promise you I will not be here if you finish 15th one day.