Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal exit would feel like 'anticlimax' if Europa League bid fails

Arsene Wenger conceded that failing to win the Europa League would mean his reign as Arsenal manager ends in anticlimactic fashion.

Arsenal face Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday in the first leg of their semi-final tie, with the winner certain to be favourite to overcome the winner of the Marseille-RB Salzburg tie in next month’s final.

The most glaring omission from Wenger’s 22-year reign in north London has been a European trophy, with finals in the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League ending in defeat.

Not only would a victory in the Lyon final give Wenger the chance to crown his final match as Arsenal manager but it would hand his successor an improved inheritance as the Gunners would qualify for the Champions League after a year in exile.

The stakes are high for Wenger, who otherwise faces bowing out away to Huddersfield on the final day of the Premier League season.

The chance to sign off in style gives him and his squad extra motivation.

“Would it feel like an anticlimax? Yes of course,” said Wenger. “But that’s part of [the job].

“It will not take away from the fact that people will realise what I said many times, that to qualify for 20 consecutive years is not as easy as it looked at some stage.

“It would feel really like an anticlimax. That’s why we want to give absolutely all to win.”

He added: “I just want to do well, to win. I want to continue to do what I tried to do my whole life and win the next game.”

To add to the scale of Arsenal’s task they will play the decisive second leg at the Wanda Metropolitana, where Diego Simeone’s Atletico side have not conceded a goal since January 20.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have endured a woeful run of form away from home in the league - where they have not picked up a single point in 2018 - though in Europe they have picked up a crucial win against AC Milan.

But Arsenal will not want to be chasing away goals when they travel to Spain next week.

“The rules in Europe make the weight of the away goal very strong,” Wenger said.

“That’s why when you play the first game at home you’re a little bit in a difficult psychological situation where you know you have to score but that every goal you concede can be a huge handicap.

“We have to play to our strengths. We like to dictate the game, to have the ball and as well to try to annihilate the strengths of Atletico.

“They are a very strong team, the second best in Spain if you look at the table. That will demand total commitment and a great discipline. They have no real weak point. They’re strong defensively and offensively so we need a complete performance.”