Worst kept secret: Bastian Schweinsteiger pinpoints threat of Jack Wilshere ahead of Champions League clash

Bayern Munich aware of threat posed by Arsenal talisman

Jack Wilshere trains alongside Theo Walcott (GETTY IMAGES)

Jack Wilshere will be targeted by Bayern Munich during tonight's Champions League tie, with Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger pinpointing the threat posed by his Arsenal counterpart.

The Gunners have come to rely heavily on Wilshere since his return from long-term injury and how the 21-year-old performs over the two legs against the German league leaders will by vital to any chances Arsene Wenger's team have of progressing to the quarter-finals.

The importance of Wilshere hasn't gone unnoticed by Bayern Munich, with Schweinsteiger adding his voice to the acclaim the England international has been receiving of late.

"I don't think one player makes the team but in his position he [Wilshere] is one of the best there is, he is a difficult player," Schweinsteiger said. "It has a lot to do with his size. The typical English payer is over 1m 85cm [6ft 1in] but Jack Wilshere [5ft 8in] is very dynamic, he has a very good left foot and he has a really good eye for the way he views the players around him. Those are his strong qualities.

"Arsenal are one of the top 10 teams in Europe. The days of Tony Adams and Thierry Henry have gone, and maybe they are pining for those days. But still they have Wilshere and they have [Santi] Cazorla in there and they are very technical. I don't know why they have not won trophies because they have the quality to win."

Arsenal head into tonight's match off the back of a demoralising FA Cup defeat to Championship side Blackburn Rovers at the weekend, but Schweinsteiger does not believe that match will have a bearing on the outcome of the last-16 Champions League tie.

"We have to take this game [against Arsenal] as our priority," said Schweinsteiger. "It is going to be a very hard game and we have to respect Arsenal. They lost at the weekend [against Blackburn] but that doesn't mean it is not going to be difficult."