Arsenal Outside the Top 4 Would Be a “Disaster” – Podolski

German International Lukas Podolski has today said that were Arsene Wenger’s team to miss out on Champions League football for next season, it would be a “disaster”.

The North London outfit had to come from behind to bring their FA Cup Semi Final against Championship side Wigan Athletic to penalties following a Jordi Gomez penalty. Arsenal’s form has faltered in recent weeks, winning only one game in their last 6 Premier League matches, a 1-0 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaking about their FA Cup run, Podolski said:

“Every season is a pressure when you don’t win anything and the newspapers speak about it, the fans gets nervous but we have the chance this year to win the FA Cup so maybe it helps the club, us and the boss.

“But the other important thing is to get fourth place back because when you don’t play in the Champions League, it’s a disaster.

“We don’t forget the league because we are fifth now, we are not qualified for the Champions League, so we must do our work on the pitch – starting on Tuesday and this is an important thing.”

Arsenal are infamously taunted for their lack of silverware in almost nine years, and Wenger’s side are desperate to end that drought. Star signing Mesut Ozil’s form has dipped massively since the turn of the year, as well as injuries to Theo Walcott and returning Aaron Ramsey, resulting in an Arsenal implosion; their FA Cup run the only glimmer of hope of silverware. However, having slipped out of the top four at the hands of Everton, whose form is second only to their Merseyside rivals, Liverpool, Wenger’s men will be looking to be taking Champions League qualification selfies on the last day of the season.

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