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Arsene Wenger insists he does not have to justify Arsenal's transfer business

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 20: Arsene Wenger and Tomas Rosicky of Arsenal during a Press Conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League Play Off match against Fenerbahce at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on August 20, 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Image: Arsene Wenger: Addressing the media in Istanbul on Tuesday

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he does not have to justify his club's transfer business to anyone.

Speaking ahead of the Gunners' Champions League qualifier with Fenerbahce, Wenger admits the tie presents a test of character but he is confident his men can overcome. "You just want to prepare as well as you can and bounce back very quickly from Saturday with a good performance which is what I think we will do," said Wenger, who will have to do without England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for up to three months because of a knee injury. "Everywhere we go we try to win the game and that is the attitude we have. Again, we will try to play our game as we do everywhere. "We have been everywhere in Europe in all the big stages and seen heated atmospheres, but we always try to play." Fenerbahce's place in European competition is yet subject to a full hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being found guilty of match-fixing by UEFA. Wenger, though, is not going to let any possible repercussions impact his team's preparations. "Honestly we don't really know the story so we don't want to speak about that. We want to win on the pitch. That's all we want to focus on," said Wenger, whose side won 5-2 here on their last visit in the group stages during October 2008. Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, confirmed on Twitter he would be sidelined for an extended spell, ruling the 20-year-old out of England's final World Cup qualifying fixtures. "Gutted I'm injured so early in the season," Oxlade-Chamberlain said on the micro-blogging site, "But I'm going to be working hard to hopefully be back playing in 3 months. Thanks 4 all ur support."

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