London's Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger admitted that the upcoming weekend match against London's West Ham will be used to prepare for the UEFA Europa League semi-final.
In it, the Gunners will meet with the main favorite of this tournament, Atletico Madrid, but overcoming the Spanish barrier would make the path to the Champions League reachable.
However, the Premier League match will also be important, as in case of defeat, the capital's footballers could be ousted from the top spot by Burnley. In that case, Wenger's players would not even be calm about the game in the Europa League.
"I would say that this weekend will be preparation for Thursday," the Frenchman said at a press conference.
"I allowed a few players to rest after the match in Moscow, so they will need to run on the field. (Europa League - ed. note) is a priority, because we are no longer fighting for many things in the Premier League. It is now our highest priority."
"We are Arsenal and we want to win matches. Every game is important and we like to win. We had a pretty good season at home, it seems a bit strange. We stumble particularly away. It is very important that we maintain our form at home."
"Atletico Madrid is a huge opponent. It is especially important to beat them and have a chance to reach the final and win the tournament. Atletico Madrid is considered a favorite, but I believe that being in the best form we can overcome them."
The first clash with the "mattresses" will be played at the Emirates Stadium.
