Standard Liege’s Boloni full of admiration for Arsenal

Standard Liege boss Laszlo Boloni admits he admires this week’s Champions League opponents Arsenal, saying they are a club with a great youth policy who play a very intelligent style of game.

The Belgians were defeated by the Gunners in their first group stage meeting of the competition despite leading 2-0 after five minutes and Boloni has revealed his admiration for both Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

"I feel the policy of Arsenal is something really incredible and admiral," said the Romanian ahead of the Emirates Stadium clash on Tuesday.

"Arsene Wenger's policy and they way he manages is very intelligent, and the way he manages his game is also very intelligent.”

Despite heaping praise on the Londoners, Boloni believes they may lack something that other big European teams have.

"I remember talking with him (Wenger) when I was a young trainer, I really admired his intelligence and also his vision about the future of the club - but in comparison to Real Madrid, Barcelona or Chelsea, maybe they lack something,” he added.

"Arsenal have some warriors in their team, they are not young lambs.

"It is easy to say 'to go to war', but without the ball it is very difficult. We must have strength to do more than that.

"We will be organised and with our strength we will try to do the maximum so that they will respect us."