A team founded on principles of the organic development of talent and attractive play, which promotes from a much-admired youth system and orchestrates dazzling football. It is a description that can be applied to both Arsenal and Barcelona, but only the latter team is being described in hushed tones as potentially the best of all time, and rewriting the record books as often as they pass and press another team into submission. Arsenal, humbled by a 6-3 defeat in the Champions League last season, are yet to provide adequate evidence that, for all their talent, they are not just Barca lite. They approach Wednesday's first leg tie with understandable trepidation.
Lionel Messi displayed the gulf in class when scoring four goals in the second leg of the quarter-final at Camp Nou last season, but that was against a weakened Arsenal side, only two of whom - Theo Walcott and Gael Clichy - are likely to start on Wednesday. What really emphasised the distinction was a quite terrifying opening 20 minutes in the first leg when the Catalans tore through their hosts less like a knife through butter, and more like a machete through margarine. Pep Guardiola described it as "the best 45 minutes since I became a coach", and while there have been remarkable performances since - the 5-0 win over Real Madrid in November towering above them all - that thrilling snapshot in North London remains Barca's reference point in this competition, and a psychological burden on Arsenal.
Not that the Gunners are short of those when it comes to Barcelona. This is the club that hammered them 4-2 at home in the group stage in 1999, who defeated them in their sole European Cup final appearance in 2006 and spent the summer attempting to prise their captain, Cesc Fabregas, back to his hometown club. The scars of that particular episode may be apparent when Gerard Pique, who, along with the injured Carles Puyol, placed a Barca shirt over the head of Fabregas as Spain celebrated their World Cup victory, takes possession of the ball. But past grievances aside, Arsenal must consider how best to approach a game against a side that at the weekend saw a La Liga record of 16 consecutive victories come to an end. Sporting Gijon's draw may hold some comfort for Arsenal, but Barca have won 20 of their 23 league games this season.
Sporting frustrated Barca by constricting their play and placing ten men behind the ball - an approach that also worked in the second leg when Inter knocked them out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage last season - but Arsenal are not disposed to play this way, and have only done so once in a high-profile encounter under Wenger - their victory in the 2005 FA Cup final against Manchester United. Jack Wilshere says Arsenal need to get "nasty" but they are committed to a particular style, and it is one that, unfortunately, Barca excel at. Patience in possession will be key, as well as coping with the extreme pressing of the visiting side, but Arsenal's task is formidable. It is no less than toppling the best team in a generation.
Arsenal player to watch: Robin van Persie
The Catalan press may be understandably fixated on Fabregas, but the graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy has been overshadowed by two of his team-mates this season. While Samir Nasri's participation from the start is in doubt due to injury, Van Persie will spearhead the Arsenal attack in his role as a lone striker and is looking to continue a run of form that has seen him score ten goals in nine games since the turn of the year. With excellent technique and impressive link-up play, few play the position better than Van Persie, who appears to have cast aside the fitness problems that typically gutted the first half of his season. Johan Cruyff, a fellow Dutchman and the man who won the European Cup for Barcelona the last time the final was held at Wembley in 1992, believes Van Persie can be decisive. He said this week: "As well as being a good player in excellent goalscoring form, he is fresher than anyone else having come back from injury in December."
Barcelona player to watch: Lionel Messi
It is tempting to highlight the hypnotic passing of Xavi, the cultured defending of 'Piquenbauer' or the way in which Pedro has assumed such significance despite his low profile, but to pretend that anyone but Messi will be the centre of attention would be perverse. In a week which witnessed the retirement of Ronaldo, the Argentine will attempt to continue his seemingly inexorable march to surpass the club record tally of 47 goals established by the Brazilian in 1996-97. Messi, named FIFA Ballon d'Or winner in January ahead of Xavi and Iniesta, has already accrued 37 in 32 games this season, including six in four starts in Europe. Clearly the best player on the planet, and perhaps, eventually, of all time, Messi of course reached a pinnacle in his career last season with his four goals at Camp Nou against the Gunners.
Key battle: Theo Walcott v Maxwell
More titanic battles may be waged in other areas of the pitch - most notably in midfield where Jack Wilshere, Alex Song and Fabregas come up against Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets - but this particular tussle is key as it represents Arsenal's best opportunity of overcoming Barca. The absence of Carles Puyol due to injury will see Eric Abidal move into a central position, bringing Maxwell into direct competition with the man who changed the complexion of the 2-2 draw last season. After Zlatan Ibrahimovic's two goals put Barca in a formidable position, Walcott scored just three minutes following his introduction as a substitute and tormented Maxwell down the right wing, leading Messi to admit Walcott "truly worried us".
Source: Tom Adams, ESPN Soccernet on 16 Feb 11
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