View Poll Results: How will it go???
Barca by a good margin
5
45.45%
Barca just getting by
2
18.18%
Tie
2
18.18%
Arsenal just making it
2
18.18%
Arsenal by a mile
0
0%
Voters: 11. You may not vote on this poll
Champions League - Arsenal v Barcelona
Mar 31, 2010 | 04:10 AM
#13
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,406
From: Bahrain
History's been acting up recently haven't you noticed? Arsenal love playing teams that "play" football. That's the only way these "kids" can run rings around teams!
Watch out for Theo and Arshi if they play tonight. This is definitley their kind of game.
Watch out for Theo and Arshi if they play tonight. This is definitley their kind of game.
Mar 31, 2010 | 04:17 AM
#14
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,172
From: Bahrain
Arsenal host Barcelona on Wednesday evening fuelled by the belief that they can eliminate the European champions over the course of two legs that promise great entertainment and incredible drama.
The Gunners remain in the race to claim the Premier League crown, though their hopes of dethroning Manchester United and usurping Chelsea took a shot at the weekend as a bad Manuel Almunia error gifted Birmingham City a point on Saturday.
“Barcelona is a different competition and we have a few days to recover and prepare. But it felt like a defeat on Saturday,” manager Arsene Wenger told the club’s official website, having previously blamed the state of the St. Andrews pitch for his side’s failure to register three points.
"It is always hard to pick the players up when you get a result like that. We are on a run that is very difficult, where we know there is no room for error at all, so Saturday was a big disappointment for us.”
When Arsenal have been faced with crisis points in this campaign, they’ve generally responded well. Against the very best – Manchester United and Chelsea – they have failed to acquire a single league point, yet the Gunners remain a very real threat in the title race, while an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Porto in the Champions League was brilliantly rescued with a terrific 5-0 response at the Emirates.
Having failed to defeat an elite side this season, questions will be raised over the ability of Wenger’s side to defeat la Blaugrana, who have become known as the best of the best over the last 18 months.
Criticised But Confident
Compared to the all-conquering Barcelona side of last term, this season’s Barca have received a remarkable amount of criticism. With the increased competition from Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s side have been placed in the spotlight, and though they have consistently responded, they have rarely convinced.
Recent results have not seen the Blaugrana sweep away opposition in the manner they achieved last season, while their football has not always been as fluid and eye-catching. Their results, in La Primera Division at least, have been just as strong, while progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League has been achieved, albeit with a few scares along the way.
Stuttgart certainly gave Guardiola’s men a fright in the last 16. The Bundesliga outfit grabbed the lead in the first leg, though they were ultimately unable to match the power of the Catalans when forced to travel to Catalunya. Lionel Messi, as has been the case so often of late, was Barca’s inspiration behind a 4-0 second leg victory, and the little Argentine marvel will be the player Arsenal most closely need to police over the two legs.
Goalkeeper Victor Valdes has indicated that the Camp Nou outfit are feeling confident going into this fixture. “We are not going to play conservatively at the Emirates. Barcelona are capable of winning anywhere,” he asserted to the News of the World.
Only the second team to take anything from Mallorca’s ONO Estadi this season, having recorded a 1-0 victory thanks to a predatory Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike on Saturday, Barca can approach this fixture with optimism, despite their naysayers.
FORM GUIDE
Arsenal
DREW 1-1 (a) Birmingham City (Premier League, March 27)
WON 2-0 (h) West Ham United (Premier League, March 20)
WON 2-1 (a) Hull City (Premier League, March 13)
WON 5-0 (h) Porto (Champions League March 9)
WON 3-1 (h) Burnley (Premier League, March 6)
Barcelona
WON 1-0 (h) Mallorca (a) (Liga, March 27)
WON 2-0 (h) Osasuna (Liga, March 24)
WON 4-2 (a) Zaragoza (Liga, March 21)
WON 4-0 (h) Stuttgart (Champions League, March 17)
WON 3-0 (h) Valencia (Liga, March 14)
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal
Home manager Arsene Wenger has doubts over the fitness of Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby ahead of Wednesday’s fixture, though it is hoped that both will feature.
There are still a number of long-term injury problems in the Arsenal camp, with Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou and Robin van Persie all sidelined once more. William Gallas won’t feature either.
Probable Starting XI: Almunia; Sagna, Vermaelen, Campbell, Clichy; Song, Fabregas, Diaby; Nasri, Bendtner, Arshavin
Barcelona
Pep Guardiola’s plans have been disrupted by the news that Andres Iniesta will miss around 10 days due to injury and is therefore a doubt for next week’s second leg. In addition, Dmytro Chygrynskiy is ineligible.
French left-back Eric Abidal is unlikely to play a prominent role, though he is included in the travelling party after overcoming injury, while centre-back Gerard Pique is also considered a doubt because of back problems.
Probable Starting XI: Valdes; Alves, Puyol, Milito, Maxwell; Busquets, Xavi, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal
Since Cesc Fabregas burst onto the scene with Arsenal having grown through Barcelona’s youth academy, there has been speculation linking the Catalan with a move back to Camp Nou. Over the last 18 months, the 47-times capped Spain international has grown into the undoubted leader of the side and has reacted to speculation linking him with moves elsewhere by simply upping the commitment and level he displays for the Gunners. A huge talent, and still only 22.
Barcelona
Thierry Henry has admitted this week that his most haunting moment as a professional footballer was Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Barcelona when he was still the spearhead of the Gunners. Now with the Blaugrana, the tables have turned, and he will be determined to send his present employers through to the last four of the competition. This will, however, be an emotional return to the London club for the player rated fifth in the Castrol Rankings.
PREDICTION
European first leg games are generally tight affairs, but it’s almost inconceivable that this match will be a closed shop. Both outfits are known for their short, sharp passing games, so great things are expected. Barca have drawn every away leg they’ve played under Pep Guardiola in Europe 1-1, and there’s little to suggest that that result won’t come about once again.
Arsenal 1-1 Barcelona
By Robin Bairner
Mar 30, 2010 3:00:00 PM
Goal.com
The Gunners remain in the race to claim the Premier League crown, though their hopes of dethroning Manchester United and usurping Chelsea took a shot at the weekend as a bad Manuel Almunia error gifted Birmingham City a point on Saturday.
“Barcelona is a different competition and we have a few days to recover and prepare. But it felt like a defeat on Saturday,” manager Arsene Wenger told the club’s official website, having previously blamed the state of the St. Andrews pitch for his side’s failure to register three points.
"It is always hard to pick the players up when you get a result like that. We are on a run that is very difficult, where we know there is no room for error at all, so Saturday was a big disappointment for us.”
When Arsenal have been faced with crisis points in this campaign, they’ve generally responded well. Against the very best – Manchester United and Chelsea – they have failed to acquire a single league point, yet the Gunners remain a very real threat in the title race, while an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Porto in the Champions League was brilliantly rescued with a terrific 5-0 response at the Emirates.
Having failed to defeat an elite side this season, questions will be raised over the ability of Wenger’s side to defeat la Blaugrana, who have become known as the best of the best over the last 18 months.
Criticised But Confident
Compared to the all-conquering Barcelona side of last term, this season’s Barca have received a remarkable amount of criticism. With the increased competition from Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s side have been placed in the spotlight, and though they have consistently responded, they have rarely convinced.
Recent results have not seen the Blaugrana sweep away opposition in the manner they achieved last season, while their football has not always been as fluid and eye-catching. Their results, in La Primera Division at least, have been just as strong, while progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League has been achieved, albeit with a few scares along the way.
Stuttgart certainly gave Guardiola’s men a fright in the last 16. The Bundesliga outfit grabbed the lead in the first leg, though they were ultimately unable to match the power of the Catalans when forced to travel to Catalunya. Lionel Messi, as has been the case so often of late, was Barca’s inspiration behind a 4-0 second leg victory, and the little Argentine marvel will be the player Arsenal most closely need to police over the two legs.
Goalkeeper Victor Valdes has indicated that the Camp Nou outfit are feeling confident going into this fixture. “We are not going to play conservatively at the Emirates. Barcelona are capable of winning anywhere,” he asserted to the News of the World.
Only the second team to take anything from Mallorca’s ONO Estadi this season, having recorded a 1-0 victory thanks to a predatory Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike on Saturday, Barca can approach this fixture with optimism, despite their naysayers.
FORM GUIDE
Arsenal
DREW 1-1 (a) Birmingham City (Premier League, March 27)
WON 2-0 (h) West Ham United (Premier League, March 20)
WON 2-1 (a) Hull City (Premier League, March 13)
WON 5-0 (h) Porto (Champions League March 9)
WON 3-1 (h) Burnley (Premier League, March 6)
Barcelona
WON 1-0 (h) Mallorca (a) (Liga, March 27)
WON 2-0 (h) Osasuna (Liga, March 24)
WON 4-2 (a) Zaragoza (Liga, March 21)
WON 4-0 (h) Stuttgart (Champions League, March 17)
WON 3-0 (h) Valencia (Liga, March 14)
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal
Home manager Arsene Wenger has doubts over the fitness of Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby ahead of Wednesday’s fixture, though it is hoped that both will feature.
There are still a number of long-term injury problems in the Arsenal camp, with Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou and Robin van Persie all sidelined once more. William Gallas won’t feature either.
Probable Starting XI: Almunia; Sagna, Vermaelen, Campbell, Clichy; Song, Fabregas, Diaby; Nasri, Bendtner, Arshavin
Barcelona
Pep Guardiola’s plans have been disrupted by the news that Andres Iniesta will miss around 10 days due to injury and is therefore a doubt for next week’s second leg. In addition, Dmytro Chygrynskiy is ineligible.
French left-back Eric Abidal is unlikely to play a prominent role, though he is included in the travelling party after overcoming injury, while centre-back Gerard Pique is also considered a doubt because of back problems.
Probable Starting XI: Valdes; Alves, Puyol, Milito, Maxwell; Busquets, Xavi, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal
Since Cesc Fabregas burst onto the scene with Arsenal having grown through Barcelona’s youth academy, there has been speculation linking the Catalan with a move back to Camp Nou. Over the last 18 months, the 47-times capped Spain international has grown into the undoubted leader of the side and has reacted to speculation linking him with moves elsewhere by simply upping the commitment and level he displays for the Gunners. A huge talent, and still only 22.
Barcelona
Thierry Henry has admitted this week that his most haunting moment as a professional footballer was Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Barcelona when he was still the spearhead of the Gunners. Now with the Blaugrana, the tables have turned, and he will be determined to send his present employers through to the last four of the competition. This will, however, be an emotional return to the London club for the player rated fifth in the Castrol Rankings.
PREDICTION
European first leg games are generally tight affairs, but it’s almost inconceivable that this match will be a closed shop. Both outfits are known for their short, sharp passing games, so great things are expected. Barca have drawn every away leg they’ve played under Pep Guardiola in Europe 1-1, and there’s little to suggest that that result won’t come about once again.
Arsenal 1-1 Barcelona
By Robin Bairner
Mar 30, 2010 3:00:00 PM
Goal.com
Mar 31, 2010 | 05:09 AM
#15
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,821
From: Bahrain
I honestly can't see the gunners getting a single point in both legs.
Bottom line if they attack they suffer because as everyone knows Barca crave space and are used to playing against 10 men in goal. On the other hand if they defend they suffer too because their defense is bellow par compared to the european elite.
best case scenario for Arsenal is 1-2
Bottom line if they attack they suffer because as everyone knows Barca crave space and are used to playing against 10 men in goal. On the other hand if they defend they suffer too because their defense is bellow par compared to the european elite.
best case scenario for Arsenal is 1-2
Mar 31, 2010 | 05:55 AM
#16
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 15,199
From: MidEast
So.... Benderah tonight at around 915??? we can book a table now...
LNO; are you in?
What about you Bonita?
LNO; are you in?
What about you Bonita?