Preview: Arsenal v. Barcelona, Champions League Quarter-Finals, First Leg

Emirates Stadium, London

Wednesday, March 31

1945 BST, 2:45 EDT
Post updated Tuesday

• Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
• History: 2 Barcelona wins, 0 Arsenal wins, 1 draw
• 2006 Final: Barcelona 2 - 1 Arsenal
• 1999 Group Play: Arsenal 2 - 4 Barcelona
• 1999 Group Play: Barcelona 1 - 1 Arsenal
• Arsenal's League Form: W-W-W-W-W-D
• Barcelona's League Form: W-D-W-W-W-W

Predicted Line-Up

guesses italicized

Almunia

Sagna - Campbell - Vermaelen - Clichy

Fabregas - Song - Diaby

Nasri - Bendtner - Arshavin

Subs from: Fabianski, Gallas, Eboue, Denilson, Rosicky, Walcott, Eduardo

Out: Ramsey (leg), Gibbs (foot), Van Persie (ankle), Djourou (knee)

2006 Final, Revisited

• Of the 14 players who saw time in that match for the Gunners in 2006, four currently still play for Arsenal (Almunia, Eboue, Campbell, and Fabregas.) Almunia played only because of Lehmann being sent off; Eboue started in place of the injured Lauren. Clichy and Van Persie were unused substitutes.
• Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became the first player in history to be sent off in a European final in the 18th minute for taking out striker Samuel Eto'o outside of the box.
• Almunia replaced Lehmann in goal, forcing Arsenal to pull Robert Pires and play on ten men.
• Four minutes later, Eboue was booked, as Barcelona's pressure on the depleted Gunners increased.
• In the 35th minute, Eboue drew a free kick (some claim it was a dive) which was headed into the net by Sol Campbell.
• Arsenal led 1-0 at halftime.
• Andres Iniesta came on for Barcelona at halftime, replacing injured defensive midfielder Edmilson, as Barca pushed for an equalizer.
• In the 74th minute, Cesc Fabregas was pulled for Mathieu Flamini.
• Two minutes later, Barcelona were level; Iniesta found Henrik Larsson, who found Samuel Eto'o for the typing goal.
• Four minutes after that, Barcelona led 2-1; defender Juliano Belletti found the net between Almunia's legs.
• Arsenal had no serious further chances at an equalizing goal.

Story Lines Abound!

• Thierry Henry returns to play in North London for the first time since transferring to Barcelona from Arsenal in the summer of 2007.
• Cesc Fabregas, if healthy, will play against the team within whose youth club he was first trained. Fabregas's childhood hero, Josep Guardiola, is Barcelona's manager.
• Both teams play a 4-3-3 "total football" style with emphasis on technical ability and a precision passing game.
• Given both teams' style of play, the key match-up to watch will be the play of the defensive midfielders for both sides in charge of re-winning possession. For Arsenal, that's Alex Song. For Barcelona, it's Yaya Toure.
• Arsenal will only have a four-day turnaround from their 1-1 draw at Birmingham, which was a draw on paper but very much psychologically a defeat.
• Referee Massimo Busacca worked the 2009 Champions League final, as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2-0. He also worked Arsenal's 2-0 win at Celtic in Glasgow in the first leg of this year's play-off round. That was not the Eduardo "dive" game.
• Arsenal will be in their standard red kits at home, which will force Barcelona to wear yellow. Arsenal will wear white at Camp Nou next Tuesday.

Arsenal News & Notes

• The Gunners have two fresh injury concerns after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham. Cesc Fabregas hobbled for much of the match with an injured knee. Abou Diaby is also questionable.
• INJURY UPDATE: William Gallas has been named in the squad for the match and could feature. Fabregas faces a late fitness test and is currently at 40% according to Arsene Wenger. If the match were today, Cesc would be out.
• Barcelona's style (as with Arsenal's) puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the opposition's midfield to keep play under control. With both Fabregas and Diaby questionable, Arsenal's midfield would likely consist of Song in the holding role, plus Denilson and Rosicky, all of whom have a formidable task ahead of them.
• Thomas Vermaelen will return to the back line after serving a one match domestic ban. Even if that ban had been longer, he would have been eligible to play in European competition.

Barcelona News & Notes

• Midfielder Andres Iniesta, whose injury time goal against Chelsea sent Barca through to the 2009 Champions League Final on away goals, tweaked a hamstring on the weekend and will not play Wednesday at the Emirates.
• Barcelona won their last match 1-0 on the road to Mallorca, in a match where top offensive threats Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Thierry Henry started on the bench. Henry was not used, Messi only played after Iniesta's injury, and Xavi played minimal time in the second half.