Arsene Wenger has backed Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey and his Wales team to be dark horses at Euro 2016
Welsh side not in tournament just to make up numbers, says Rambo - who is 'buzzing' for Battle of Britain with England
ARSENE WENGER has backed Aaron Ramsey and Wales to be dark horses at Euro 2016.
The Arsenal boss told his midfield ace he believes the Dragons can be dangerous at the finals in France.
Chris Coleman’s men are 80-1 outsiders to lift the trophy ahead of their first game with Slovakia in Bordeaux on Saturday afternoon.
Yet Rambo is confident the Welsh can make the knockout stages. He was wished good luck by his Gunners team-mates and said: “Yeah, they were pleased — and the manager was as well.
“He said we could be pretty dangerous so hopefully that proves to be right. He’s a wise man.
“Our target is to get out of the group first and see what happens.
“I think a win — three points — will probably get you through, maybe in third place. We are determined to go there and not get rolled over.
“I know we are 80-1 to win it but stranger things have happened. Leicester’s title odds were 5000-1.”
Ramsey has grown used to feeling left out when his Arsenal pals head off to international tournaments. The Euros are Wales’ first finals in a staggering 58 years.
And Ramsey admitted: “Normally I’m on holiday now. When the campaign started and we got those couple of wins early on I kept winding up the Arsenal boys saying, ‘I’ll see you in France’.
“To finally achieve it was great. To go in knowing I would actually be playing in the finals — I can share that experience now with some of the players who have done it. I can’t wait.”
Although Slovakia are first up in Group B, the Battle of Britain against England next Thursday stands out.
Coleman was clear he wanted to avoid the Three Lions when the tournament draw was made in December — yet Ramsey felt differently about it.
He said: “I think a few players and members of staff wanted to avoid England because of all that goes with it.
“But I was buzzing when their name came out — perhaps because I play with a few of them.
“But the first game is crucial for us.
“We need a good start. Some momentum can do a lot for teams.”
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