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Cape Town - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he is hopeful of marking 18 years in charge of the club with victory when they face Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Read: Wenger and his 18 years at Arsenal
The Frenchman will celebrate his anniversary with the Gunners on Wednesday when they host the Turkish outfit in Matchday Two, having lost their Group D opener against Borussia Dortmund 2-0 last month.
And, speaking ahead of the Emirates Stadium encounter, Wenger said: "One thing that has not changed compared to 18 years ago, the players were very intelligent and they are still very intelligent today.
"They know what is at stake. Mathematically they know this is the game for us."
He continued: “Maybe it was more open 15 years ago than it is today. The concentration of the big players in a short number of clubs is much more than it was before.
"It is much more predictable today, the outcome of the Champions League, than it was 10 years ago. It is harder to win it, but as well more exciting.
"If you make a poll tomorrow and say to people 'give me four clubs who will win the Champions League', then 80 or 90 per cent of people will say 'there are these four clubs'.
"I don't think that we are one of the four who will be favourites to win it, but football is strange - and not always predictable, so let's first qualify from the group stage and then we will see."
Read: Wenger and his 18 years at Arsenal
The Frenchman will celebrate his anniversary with the Gunners on Wednesday when they host the Turkish outfit in Matchday Two, having lost their Group D opener against Borussia Dortmund 2-0 last month.
And, speaking ahead of the Emirates Stadium encounter, Wenger said: "One thing that has not changed compared to 18 years ago, the players were very intelligent and they are still very intelligent today.
"They know what is at stake. Mathematically they know this is the game for us."
He continued: “Maybe it was more open 15 years ago than it is today. The concentration of the big players in a short number of clubs is much more than it was before.
"It is much more predictable today, the outcome of the Champions League, than it was 10 years ago. It is harder to win it, but as well more exciting.
"If you make a poll tomorrow and say to people 'give me four clubs who will win the Champions League', then 80 or 90 per cent of people will say 'there are these four clubs'.
"I don't think that we are one of the four who will be favourites to win it, but football is strange - and not always predictable, so let's first qualify from the group stage and then we will see."
