We’re Alongside Manchester United and Real Madrid for Champions League Pedigree – Laurent Koscielny

Tuesday, 18th September, 2012

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has hailed the Gunners’ achievement of continued Champions League football, claiming that it places them on a par with Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Arsene Wenger’s men have not won a trophy for seven years, but the Frenchman has continually steered his team into the Champions League nonetheless.

Arsenal start another Champions League tilt this evening when they visit French champions Montpellier, a game which will matter to a great many of the side’s players who have played in France before, and French fans in general, as Koscielny well admits.

"For the French, Arsenal are like a French team", said the defender to his club’s official site.

"A lot of French players come here and we have a lot of examples like Titi [Henry], Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit.

"The people like to see Arsenal because we have some French players and we play football so other people like to see our game."

And Koscielny stressed, the Gunners are also in an elite group, a further factor which has boosted the side’s popularity, despite an absence of silverware.

"We haven’t won a trophy, but for 15 years we’ve qualified for the Champions League.

"There are just two clubs who can also say that – Manchester United and Real Madrid."

Were the Gunners able to end their trophy drought by winning the Champions League, it would undoubtedly send their fans into raptures and provide Wenger with his proudest moment in football.