Arsenal defender Gael Clichy is looking forward to facing Liverpool three times in a week.
But Gunners full-back would have preferred foreign opponents
Arsenal defender Gael Clichy is looking forward to the prospect of facing Liverpool three times in the space of the week.
The Premier League rivals will meet in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League at the start of April, with the games sandwiching a domestic encounter at Emirates Stadium.
Last season the two clubs faced each other in consecutive matches in the FA Cup and Carling Cup, and Clichy feels it will be 'good fun' to renew the rivalry.
"I don't think that affects the players at all," Clichy told the club's
official website.
"We did it last season when we played the FA Cup and Carling Cup together. In fact it's quite good fun because it doesn't happen much.
"We will look forward to it and hopefully we will come out as the winner."
Great challenge
But, while Clichy is relishing the tie with Liverpool, the French full-back admits he would have preferred to encounter continental opposition.
He added: "I watched the draw at the training ground with all the guys and I was a bit disappointed because the Champions League is for playing against teams around Europe.
"An Italian team or Spanish team would have been fantastic, but Liverpool is not bad, they are a great side and it will be a great challenge.
"At this stage of the competition it doesn't matter who you play against because all the teams have great quality.
"We know Liverpool, they know us, it will be like a Premier League game and we'll see what happens."
