Waching daily Apr 26 2018

Arsene Wenger wants to bow out of Arsenal as a winner as he aims to put his biggest

regret behind him by lifting the Europa League this season.

The Gunners boss admits that losing the 2006 Champions League Final was the one thing that

disappoints him most in his glittering 22-year career at the club.

Wenger's star-studded Arsenal side at the peak of their powers saw keeper Jens Lehmann

sent off early on as they crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Barcelona.

And with a European trophy with Arsenal the only glaring omission from his CV, Wenger

is eyeing a fairytale end to his long spell in charge.

Wenger said: "It was my biggest regret, yes.

"We knocked Juventus and Real Madrid out that season, and then lost with 10 men in

the final in an unfortunate way.

"We had a very young team and didn't concede a goal against them.

We went to the final without conceding a goal.

On paper, tonight's challenge against Atletico Madrid looks almost as steep.

Diego Simeone's men are second in Spain's La Liga and were runners-up in the Champions

League in two out of the last four seasons.

Wenger said: "If you look at the table they are the second best team in Spain.

They have no real weakness.

They are strong offensively.

They strong defensively.

We will need a complete performance.

"It's a Champions League night.

For two reasons.

First, because a Champions League position is at stake, more for us than them, and second

because these are two teams used to playing in the Champions League."

Privately, Wenger knows that lifting the trophy would be a special way to bring down the curtain.

But publicly he insists it is all about his players.

He said: "Is there a perfect goodbye?

First of all, I don't know.

I just want to do as well as I can because this team has quality, these guys - I've

seen them this season be challenged mentally.