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Arsene Wenger: 'Champions League has lost its sparkle'

Arsene Wenger: 'UCL has lost its sparkle'
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Arsene Wenger insists that only a small proportion of Champions League fixtures are worth watching as the competition has 'become too routine'.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that the Champions League has "lost some attraction power" in recent years as only a handful of group games are now worth watching.

The Gunners missed out on qualification for European football's elite-club competition this term for the first time in 19 years after finishing fifth in the Premier League last season.

Viewing figures have dwindled in Britain since BT Sport won the rights to air the premier competition, and Wenger believes that is because some of its lure has been lost over time.

"I think that, in the group stage, there are not many interesting games. [It has become] a routine," he told reporters. "You choose only one or two games. Look at the audiences. It has lost some attraction power."

Arsenal are competing in the Europa League this season, kicking their campaign off with a 3-1 win over FC Koln at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month.

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Group A

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Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

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Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

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Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

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Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

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Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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