Arsène Wenger Angrily Hits Out Over Contract Rumours Ahead Of Champions League Tie

Arsène Wenger has reacted with fury to suggestions that he is preparing to stay at Arsenal beyond 2014, and is about to be offered a new contract.
In one of most extraordinary press conferences of his 16-year tenure in north London a visibly angry Wenger asked why a journalist was looking at him, refused to answer questions on his side's defeat to Blackburn and launched an impassioned defence of his record in the FA Cup.
It had been suggested that Arsenal were preparing to offer Wenger an extension to his current contract, something the Frenchman described as "lies".
"That (new deal) is the wrong information. It only has one intention: to harm."
"If it is good information which comes from nowhere it is all right, but this is wrong information that comes from nowhere and it is completely wrong."
The Arsenal manager then asked why one of the journalists present was looking at him, to which the reporter replied "because it's your press conference."
Arsenal lost 1-0 at home to the Championship side, but Wenger believes his team have been insulted by anyone deeming them as a second string.
"I've been accused of not taking the FA Cup seriously," he said. "I've won it 4 times. Tell me who has won it more than me. Tell me, one name.
"I've been accused of not putting out a strong enough team - this is an insult to those who started the game, 11 internationals."
Arsenal now face the daunting prospect of a Champions League last 16 tie against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, a team that has conceded only seven goals all season.
"We are fully focussed on tomorrow's game, Wenger said. "You can't compare the FA Cup with the Champions League. We must focus on our own quality and we have to put into our heads that we have 180 minutes to qualify.
'It is vital to keep a clean sheet. Nil-nil is not a disaster at home, but of course we will try to score goals. We have a way to play that everyone in the team knows. We must play with a positive mentality
Wenger stressed his team must take no notice of the negative headlines if they are to progress over two legs against the German side.
"We know well what is going on here. What is important is to forget what people say and focus on our strengths," he said.
"We play for Arsenal in the last 16 of the Champions league, we have qualified for a long, long time.
"What is important is not what people say it is what happens on the pitch.
"We live in a democracy of experts and opinions, but we have to live with that and cope with that and show we have the mental strength to deal with any opinion. There are a lot of experts who are not necessarily always right."
Wenger added: "There is a lot of superficial analysis. We have to accept we take the blame for going out (of the FA Cup), but you have to put things into perspective.
"You have to really analyse it, just because one guy says one thing, everybody has to go the same way."