ARSENAL, Podolski: "Schalke will be toughest test yet"

Daily Network
©2013

23.10.2012 12.15 by TM W read 1661

Source: Arsenal.com

© foto di Giuseppe Celeste/Image Sport

Lukas Podolski has warned that Arsenal will face "something special" when they take on Schalke home and away in the next two Champions League fixtures, and believes taking maximum points at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday could be crucial.

Schalke are currently third in the Bundesliga - where they finished last season - and come into this game on the back of an impressive 2-1 win at local rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

"Schalke is a very strong team, the strongest we will face in the group stage," Podolski told the Official Matchday Programme.

"If we can win this game we will be very well placed. Schalke are a good team though, they are something special at home, with their fans behind them, so we will want the three points at home.

"I know their coach, Huub Stevens, very well because he coached me for a season when I was at Cologne. They will be tough to beat, but we must go for the three points."

The Germany international also revealed he has a good recent record against Schalke.

"Yes, I have a good history with them," he said. "I think in each of the past two or three games I played against them I have scored, so I quite like playing against them. Hopefully I can do it again in the Champions League."

Transfer Market Web news: football - soccer transfer news and rumors

Other news Premier League (England)

23 May 06:15 LIVERPOOL, Rodgers: "Suarez won't move"
22 May 06:15 CHELSEA, Torres: "Mourinho? One of the best managers in the world!"
21 May 06:15 LIVERPOOL, Gerrard: "We need new signings"
20 May 17:00 FULHAM, Jol: "We need a new goalkeeper"
20 May 15:30 ARSENAL, Oxlade-Chamberlain: "I was looking forward to the opportunity of playing as a midfielder"
20 May 14:30 MAN. UNITED, Carrick: "Surreal atmosphere after Ferguson's final match. We reciprocally thanked for all"
20 May 06:15 MANCHESTER CITY, Nasri: "No contacts with PSG"
19 May 06:59 QPR, Redknapp: "No contacts with Arsenal for Julio Cesar"
18 May 18:59 ARSENAL, Sagna: "I admire Ibra, who never sold out. Playing with him? Why not?!"
18 May 06:29 ARSENAL, Wenger: "We are not after Rooney"
17 May 19:30 ARSENAL, Wenger: "We are the masters of our own fate"
17 May 17:40 ARSENAL, Wenger: "The worst thing for a manager is playing without any pressure"
17 May 17:00 ARSENAL, Wenger: "I’d love to have signed Beckham"
17 May 16:45 ARSENAL, Podolski: "We must qualify"
17 May 15:30 ARSENAL, Giroud: "Maybe Newcastle will give us a hard time by playing unpressured"
17 May 06:15 QPR, Julio Cesar: "I will leave, but I don't know where I will go"
16 May 16:45 ARSENAL, Wenger: "We showed we can share goals"
16 May 06:19 CHELSEA, Benitez: "I am not thinking about Napoli"
15 May 06:15 ARSENAL, Sagna's agent: "Anzhi? Too early to talk about it"
14 May 19:00 ARSENAL, Vermaelen: "Missing some games makes you stronger. My captaincy style is still the same"
14 May 18:30 ARSENAL, Koscielny: "I'm enjoying playing here. Very good partnership with Mertesacker, I progressed a lot"
14 May 06:19 QPR, Granero: "I don't want to play in the Championship"
13 May 06:19 TOTTENHAM, Adebayor: "My future remains uncertain"
12 May 06:59 LIVERPOOL, Rodgers: "We want to keep Škrtel"
11 May 15:00 TOTTENHAM, Villas-Boas: "Taking Bale away from us will be difficult for Manchester United"
11 May 06:29 LIVERPOOL, Rodgers: "Reina is not for sale"
10 May 06:15 WEST HAM, Sullivan: "We would like to keep Carroll"
09 May 19:00 CHELSEA, Lampard: "I could have done more for deserving a renewal"
09 May 15:30 MANCHESTER UNITED, Moyes: "It’s a great honour to be asked to be the next Manager "
09 May 06:15 MAN. CITY, Mancini: "Cavani and El Shaarawy? We are not the only club interested"
08 May 09:30 MANCHESTER UTD, David Gill: "16 unforgettable years with Ferguson"
08 May 06:15 ASTON VILLA, Lambert: "Lowton won't move"
07 May 10:30 ARSENAL, Szczesny: "Let's qualify for Champions League, Tottenham have not enough quality"
07 May 10:00 ARSENAL, Wenger: "Podolski will play as a striker"
07 May 06:15 STOKE CITY, Pulis: "No offers for Begović"
06 May 20:00 ARSENAL, Podolski: "I'm fulfilled with my season, but now we must hit our target"
06 May 19:30 MANCHESTER CITY, Yaya Touré: "I might end my career here"
06 May 17:30 WEST HAM, Joe Cole: "All of us want Carroll to stay"
06 May 07:51 ARSENAL, Wenger: "Theo is so clinical now"
06 May 07:15 ARSENAL, Mertesacker: "I'm happy with final games"
06 May 06:19 MAN. UTD., Ferguson asks for new signings
05 May 06:29 CHELSEA, Cech: "It would be a pleasure to work with Mourinho"
04 May 07:27 ST. ETIENNE, Aubameyang: "I like La Liga, the Premier League and the Bundesliga"
04 May 06:29 CHELSEA, Benayoun: "I have many offers, but.."
03 May 18:00 QPR, Redknapp: "If Arsenal want Julio Cesar, they need to make a good offer"
03 May 17:00 ARSENAL, Wenger: "Now we are financially strong"
03 May 10:29 LIVERPOOL, Coutinho: "Every day to get better and better"
03 May 06:19 FULHAM, Berbatov's agent: "Russia interesting option, but.."
02 May 17:47 ARSENAL, Wenger: "How Santi has surprised me"
02 May 06:19 READING, Pogrebnyak's agent: "He wants to remain in England"

Other news

23 May 14:00 SPAIN/ MALAGA, Baptista toward Brazil
23 May 13:37 ITALY/ FIORENTINA, Idea Criscito
23 May 13:17 SPAIN/ REAL MADRID, Diego Lopez wants to leave
23 May 12:59 GERMANY/ OFFICIAL, Werder sign Petersen on permanent deal
23 May 12:39 PORTUGAL/ OFFICIAL, FC Porto sign Carlos Eduardo
23 May 12:20 GERMANY/ BORUSSIA D., Interest for Papastathopoulos
23 May 12:00 FRANCE/ PSG, Meeting with Blanc
23 May 11:45 ITALY/ NAPOLI, Idea Vermaelen
23 May 11:30 TURKEY/ BESIKTAS, Super offer to Bianchi
23 May 11:15 ITALY/ JUVENTUS, The plan for Jovetic
23 May 11:00 BAYERN & MAN. UNITED, 18 million euros needed for Thiago Alcantara
23 May 10:50 ITALY/ AS ROMA, Nico Lopez set ot leave on loan
23 May 10:40 ITALY/ UDINESE, Allan's agent: "Zenit will negotiate for signing him"
23 May 10:30 PORTO & AS MONACO, Negotiating for Moutinho's transfer
23 May 10:20 PERU/ ALIANZA LIMA, Reyna's agent: "Who wouldn't want to play in Bundesliga"
23 May 10:10 RUSSIA/ DYNAMO MOSCOW, Attempt for Shirokov
23 May 10:00 ENGLAND/ CHELSEA: Mourinho wants Jovetic, as Arsenal and Juventus do
23 May 09:50 ITALY/ INTER, An Romanian youngster signed
23 May 09:40 ITALY/ AC MILAN, English and German offers for Petagna
23 May 09:30 SPANI/ FC SEVILLE, Negredo refuses West Ham
23 May 09:20 ITALY/ NAPOLI, Donadel might be the key for signing Belfodil
23 May 09:10 ITALY/ SAMPDORIA, Sansone might leave for joining Sassuolo back
23 May 09:00 ENGLAND/ ARSENAL, Eyes on Rasmus Elm
23 May 08:50 EXCLUSIVE TMW - Sampdoria and Sunderland keen on D'Ambrosio
23 May 08:40 ITALY/ PARMA, Test period for youngster Callegaro
23 May 08:30 ENGLAND/ WEST HAM, Steps forward towards Lukaku
23 May 08:20 ITALY/ LAZIO, A Serie A rival for getting to Emeghara
23 May 08:10 EXCLUSIVE TMW - Bologna sign French-Egyptian youngster Yaisien from PSG
23 May 08:00 ITALY/ INTER, New chances for Paulinho
23 May 07:50 ENGLAND/ OFFICIAL, Stiliyan Petrov is the new youth assistant manager
23 May 07:40 ITALY/ BOLOGNA, One more suitor for Diego Perez
23 May 07:30 BRAZIL/ SANTOS, Back for Robinho
23 May 07:20 EXCLUSIVE TMW - Marchese ready to sign a 4 years deal for Genoa
23 May 07:10 ENGLAND/ ARSENAL, Suggestion for Isla
23 May 07:00 GERMANY/ BAYERN, Badstuber out for 10 months
23 May 06:45 NICE, Civelli's agent: "AC Milan are really interested"
23 May 06:30 BORUSSIA D., Klopp: "Lewandowski will stay"
23 May 06:15 LIVERPOOL, Rodgers: "Suarez won't move"
23 May 06:00 MALAGA, Aguilar: "Real Madrid are concretely interested in Isco"
23 May 00:00 INTER, Moratti: "Mazzarri hasn't signed yet. Mancini? It's an option"
22 May 23:37 SPAIN/ SEVILLA, Interest for Ruiz
22 May 23:17 FRANCE/ PSG, Back for Rooney
22 May 22:59 SPAIN/ OFFICIAL, Mainz extends with Granada
22 May 22:39 ITALY/ NAPOLI, Tomorrow meeting with Benitez's agent
22 May 22:20 ENGLAND/ MAN. UTD, Offer for Thiago Alcantara ready
22 May 22:00 FRANCE/ MONACO, Diego Lopez the alternative to Valdes
22 May 21:37 SPAIN/ OFFICIAL, Adriano extends with Barcelona
22 May 21:17 ITALY/ FIORENTINA, Alonso likely to join
22 May 20:59 FRANCE/ MONACO, Also Lisandro Lopez on the wishlist
22 May 20:39 ENGLAND/ OFFICIAL, Fulham sign Boateng and Amorebieta

Highlight

TURKEY/ BESIKTAS, Super offer to Bianchi

According to Tuttomercatoweb.com, Besiktas are ready to offer a 2,5 million euros per season contract to 30 year old forward Rolando Bianchi, whose contract with Torino is about to expire and who seemed about to sign for Genoa.

Highlight