Champions League

[monks data]

FA Cup | Fifth Round

Feb 16, 2013 at 3pm UK

Arsenal
0-1
Blackburn Blackburn Rovers

Arsene Wenger vows to rebuild confidence

By Liam Power, Reporter | 17 February 2013

Arsenal boos Arsene Wenger admits that his team have no time to sulk following their FA Cup exit ahead of Tuesday's Champions League tie against Bayern Munich.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has declared that he needs to rebuild confidence quickly to keep faint hopes of winning a trophy alive this season.

The Gunners were stunned by Blackburn Rovers on Saturday in the FA Cup, slipping to their first defeat in the competition at the hands of a Football League side since Wenger took charge in 1996.

Wenger has admitted that his players are hurting from the Blackburn defeat but has challenged his squad to respond against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.

He told the club's official website: "It is vital for us to fight for silverware. Unfortunately [the FA Cup] will not happen for us now and we can only look at ourselves and not complain about anything else.

"We have to come out with a strong response on Tuesday. First you have to rebuild the confidence because we are not playing against Blackburn in midweek. We play Bayern Munich so a lot of confidence will be needed.

"The players are really hurting but you have to take it on the chin and come back with a strong response. That's all we can do."

Wenger's side go up against a Bayern team on Tuesday that have lost just once in 22 league games this season.