LONDON (AFP) -- If Arsenal fail to beat Hamburg in the Champions League today, Arsene Wenger will be as depressed as when his side lost in the final last season.

At first glance there appears to be no comparison between the miserable experience of watching Arsenal lose their first Champions League final against Barcelona and defeat in a group game in the same competition.

But Wenger insists he treats any match his side fail to win as a disaster regardless of its apparent importance.

It would be easy for Wenger to rest on his laurels after a decade of unparalleled success with the English Premiership team.

After all he has brought three league titles and four FA Cups to the north London club, as well as guiding the Gunners throughout an entire league season unbeaten in 2004.

However, those astonishing triumphs have not diminished his desire to taste success again and again.

So he will go home feeling as though the world has ended if Arsenal are unable to beat their German opponents at the Emirates Stadium today.

It is a game Wenger's side need to win as they try to qualify from a three-team scrap with CSKA Moscow and Porto in Group G.

A win against Hamburg and a draw in their last group game in Porto means Arsenal would be certain of booking a place in the second round.

Wenger said: "Any game we do not win is a real disaster. Every time we don't win it hurts me so much. I always feel that way.

"I want to win every game I play for this club and I believe I hope I am on the same wavelength as everybody.

"Unless you play against a team and do not touch the ball you have always to think how could we have won.

"I personally have big problems being philosophical about defeats. I always say it still hurts the same no matter how long you have been in the game.

"Maybe the buzz you get from the victory is shorter because you anticipate the problems you have the next day.

"I prefer not to say what I am like on Saturday nights if we don't win, but we are in a job where you survive only if you want to win. "If you cope well with defeats then you will not live a long time in the job."

Wenger admits he feels the frustration of not winning more than ever this season because he believes Arsenal are close to become a truly great team.

The French coach is full of admiration for the technique and passion of his young players, but he wants them to be more clinical when they play inferior opponents.

"My desire is stronger now than ever. I feel when you are a manager you want to get your team to achieve all that they can achieve," he said.

"I feel there is a huge potential in this team. I want them to look back at the end of the season and be very proud of what they have done.

"At the moment I don't feel at all that I want to switch off because I feel this team is still not playing to its full potential. "One of the reasons is because they are young. You always feel when you have a lot of experience you can help people learn quickly."