Arsenal vs PSG: Arsene Wenger eyes up most open Champions League in years, but Real Madrid are the early favourites

Arsenal can end a long run of second-place finishes with victory against PSG, and Arsene Wenger believes the competition is more open than it has been for years

Wenger's side should have their sights set on the quarter-finals at least (Getty)

Arsène Wenger believes this will be the most open Champions League for years, as he plots Arsenal’s route into the latter stages.

If Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night they win Group A and ensure an easier last-16 tie. That is the stage that Arsenal have gone out in the last six years, their price for repeated group-stage errors.

This year the picture looks different. Arsenal have their future in their hands and should have first place secured by Wednesday night. There will be some strong second-placers but Arsenal must now aim for the quarter-finals at the least.

More importantly, the top end of the competition is less stratified than it has been in recent years. The elite of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid look more reachable and beatable than they have for a years. There is not an obvious favourite already.

For the first time since Chelsea won it almost five years ago, the Champions League feels accessible to the English sides again. Wenger feels this too. That is why he said at his press conference on Tuesday that this was “the most open Champions League in years”, and that the old gap up between the best of Europe and the best of England had narrowed.

Wenger pointed to the fact that Manchester City beat Barcelona so impressively earlier this month as proof of that narrowing. “We have an opportunity to show it again against Paris Saint Germain,” he added. While Barcelona and Bayern Munich have struggled to find form so far this season, Wenger pointed to reigning champions Real Madrid as his early favourites.

When Wenger said how well they had played beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 on Saturday evening, he almost sounded surprised. “I must say that I watched Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid on Saturday, and I was impressed by them,” Wenger said. “They looked at the moment to be the most dangerous side.”

But if Arsenal win, and win the group, then they should avoid Europe’s biggest guns at least until the quarter-finals. Arsenal have only won their group once in the last six seasons, in 2011-12, which is why they keep drawing Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and getting knocked out. Of course, being seeded does not guarantee an easy draw. Arsenal were knocked out by Milan in 2012. Either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund will finish second in Group F.

For Wenger, though, repeated second place finishes are a frustration and an embarrassment. This year his team can prove that they are on the up again. “I feel guilty when we finish second and have a difficult tie,” Wenger admitted. “Let’s finish first and at least we have the advantage to play the second game at home. Hopefully we will be injury free and have everyone available.”

Arsenal’s last two games have been big ones, Tottenham at home and Manchester United away. They drew both 1-1 and impressed in neither. The visit of Paris Saint-Germain is a chance to show that they can play well without Santi Cazorla and Hector Bellerin, two players they desperately miss when they are not there.

“When you play at home against a big team, you want to win,” Wenger said. “When I tell you that we have been a bit stuttering recently, we played Tottenham, were 1-0 up and didn’t win the game, so we need to show that we can do that.” To win would be more than three points, it would be a statement.

If Arsenal do that then there is no reason why they cannot push towards the semi-finals, for the first time since 2009. Wenger feels that Arsenal are “ready” to make an impression again, after too many years getting knocked out before March. It all starts now.