Champions League Draw Analysis: Barcelona can showcase their true attacking prowess against fellow entertainers Arsenal

Defending champions and Gunners will satisfy football purists...

19 Mar 2010 12:54:00

By KS Leong

More On :  Arsenal FC, Barcelona, Arsenal FC vs Barcelona, Barcelona vs Arsenal FC
Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona - VfB Stuttgart, PROSHOTS

Football purists will be licking their lips after joga bonito exponents Arsenal and Barcelona were pitted against each other in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

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For Barca, taking on opponents who are dedicated advocates of sexy football will allow them to unleash their full and true attacking splendour. Having had to play all their games so far against tight, defensive-minded teams, the Blaugrana finally showed the whole of Europe just what kind of demolition they are capable of when they steamrolled past VfB Stuttgart 4-0 in the second leg of the last 16.

On the flip side of the coin, Pep Guardiola’s side could also be stretched to the limit at the back against an adventurous, offensive rival. The Blaugrana backline have looked less than assured this season and if Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger plays his cards right on the night, the Catalans could be severely exposed in defence.

The Gunners will be out for revenge following their defeat in the final in 2006, but the tantalising clash will be made even more appetising as Thierry Henry faces his former club and Cesc Fabregas squares off against what could potentially be his future team.
 
Tactical Battle 
 
Barcelona are a side who change their style for no one. But against Arsenal, they will have to pay particular attention to their own defence. The fact that the north Londoners are unlikely to dump 10 men behind the ball should give Guardiola the opportunity to take a more conservative approach, especially in midfield, rather than commit eight players in the opponent’s half at any given time.

There will be a clash of the titans in midfield as two of the finest playmakers in football today, Xavi and Fabregas, will go face to face. Who will emerge victorious? The master or the apprentice? 

Disciplinary 
 
Suspended: None 
One booking off suspension: Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique 
Ineligible: Dmytro Chygrysnkiy
Injuries: Eric Abidal is out for the rest of the season with a groin injury. Xavi is currently nursing a calf muscle tear, but is expected to recover in time for the first leg on March 30.

 


Master class | Xavi dismantled Bayern last season

 
Head-to-Head 
 
1999-00 Champions League Group Stage: Barcelona 1-1 Arsenal
1999-00 Champions League Group Stage: Arsenal 2-4 Barcelona
2005-06 Champions League Final: Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal

The Opposition - CSKA Moscow
Formation: 4-3-3 – Capable of playing fast, fluid, attacking football that has seen them branded ‘Barcelona Lite’
Strength: Possession play dictated by the perceptive passing of Cesc Fabregas
Weakness: Desire to play football at all times can leave the defence and suspect goalkeeper Manuel Almunia vulnerable
Fun fact: Despite Arsene Wenger’s penny-pinching in the transfer market, Arsenal are the third richest club in the world after Manchester United and Real Madrid

Betting Odds - Powered by Titanbet

First leg: Arsenal 2.8 - Draw 3.3 - Barcelona 2.5
To qualify: Arsenal 2.62 - Barcelona 1.44
To win outright: Arsenal 11 - Barcelona 2.87

Path To The Final

It’s the semi-finals that could stand in the way of Barca reaching their second consecutive Champions League final... a final to be held at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu no less. They will face either Inter or CSKA Moscow in the last four, two teams who can be extremely disciplined and methodically organised in defence.

The Italians, on paper, are favourites to go through to the semi-finals and the Blaugrana will know all about Jose Mourinho’s craftiness. The two sides met in the group stage, with the Nerazzurri frustrating the Catalans at San Siro, before they were taught a footballing lesson in the reverse clash at the Camp Nou. And Inter will be much wiser the third time around.

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