Wenger is wary of major threat posed by Bayern

It was predictable yesterday morning that Arsene Wenger should single out Barcelona as the team he most wanted to avoid in the Champions League draw but, in also highlighting the German threat, it was equally certain that Bayern Munich were not far behind.

Bayern, who were beaten in such extraordinary circumstances by Chelsea in last year's final, have been imperious this season in dominating the Bundesliga, scoring 44 goals and conceding just seven in their 17 games.

Factor in how Schalke (17 points behind Munich domestically) have outplayed Arsenal already this season and it was clear that Bayern's chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, was on safe ground yesterday when he said that his club would be favourites.

Wenger has previously been approached for the Bayern Munich manager's job and his respect for German football runs deep. Having signed Lukas Podolski and Per

Mertesacker from the Bundesliga in the last 16 months, he has specifically bolstered his scouting network in that region of Europe over the past year.

Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze is a long-standing target and, of the current Bayern team, Luis Gustavo is a player he has watched.

"The German clubs have made a big, big leap forward," said Wenger yesterday. "The Spanish clubs are traditionally there in the last 16 and in England we have a little deficit because usually at that level we have four and we are only two this season.

"You have the French, Paris St-Germain, coming in. Traditionally Porto are always in there but, especially, I believe the Germans have improved."

One striking change is that, of the 16 teams who qualified for the knockout phase last season, only five will return this year, including Arsenal and Bayern Munich but also Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan.

"That shows you how quickly it changes and how difficult it is to be in there," said Wenger.

With the Munich squad supplying the core of the German national team over the past decade, Arsenal have two players in Mertesacker and Podolski who will know exactly what to expect. It was intriguing then that Mertesacker should suggest yesterday that Germany's mid-season break could actually favour Arsenal by the time of the first leg on Feb 19.

"They have a little break now and can rest a bit," he said. "Maybe it's a good opportunity for us to face them in February because we will be in our rhythm. We will hopefully go through the Christmas period in a strong way. We have a lot of potential and Bayern know they will face an Arsenal squad that will be strong in February.

"Lukas Podolski and me especially are looking forward to it because we want to go back to Germany and win games for our new team.

"We have to be consistent until February. We have to show that it's not only our potential which makes us a good side. We hope we can get into a good rhythm."

Mertesacker, though, is acutely aware of Munich's quality and, despite individuals like Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, believes that their success is underpinned by the team ethic. "They have strong individual players and have created a team - they stick together, that's what matters," he said.

Although yesterday's draw was hardly kind to Arsenal, especially after being paired with AC Milan and Barcelona at the same stage in the last two years, they really only had themselves to blame. Victory in their last match of the group phase, away to Olympiakos, would have been enough to take Schalke's place at the top of Group B and a more inviting fixture against Galatasaray.

With Arsenal fifth in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Manchester United, Rummenigge even felt the need to warn against complacency.

"We enter this match as the slight favourites but we can make the mistake of underestimating them," he said. "Arsenal have struggled at times in the league over the last few months, which a look upon the standings in the Premier League will tell you. We want to set the foundations with a good performance in London that would make things easier for us in our home game."