Arsenal and Barcelona, Together Again, and Why It's Win-Win

I won't go with the "this could get Messi" pun, like I did last year... so... oh, I just did...

Pic via Guardian.

In a drawing that surprised nobody, least of all Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's reward for failing to win their Champions League group is a date with the cruel mistress that is FC Barcelona.

I think most of us agree that the Catalans are playing the best football in the world right now, having hilariously beaten Jose Mourinho 5-0 recently. In many ways, you could say it's the worst possible team Arsenal could have drawn in the Last 16, and that's certainly true if this is the only competition you care about winning.

But, I'm here to argue why this situation is win-win from an Arsenal perspective. Obviously, there are two ways the tie could turn out, but I think both work to a different positive result in the end for our beloved Gunners:

1. Arsenal wins and advances. That would be what we call "sweet, sweet revenge" for everything that has happened to us involving Barcelona in the past calendar year. After crashing out of Europe fairly violently at the hands of Lionel Messi at Camp Nou last April, if Arsenal were to manage to win thus tie and advance to the quarterfinals, it would be a brilliant moment to savor. And, it would still be sweet revenge just on that topic alone, and that doesn't even consider all of the ridiculous tapping up of Cesc Fabregas that took place over the summer.
2. Barcelona wins and Arsenal's European campaign is over. Remember, Chelsea lost in the Round of 16 to Inter Milan last year, then went on to win the Double. The earlier you're out of Europe, the sooner you focus on your domestic season, which are all more winnable trophies for Arsenal than the Champions League is right now, anyway. The Carling Cup, which is arguably Arsenal's for the taking right now, will be over by the time this round concludes anyway, as will be five rounds of the FA Cup (three for Arsenal's involvement.) Last year, Arsenal advanced to the quarterfinals, only to draw Barcelona then, where they proceeded to lose several key players to long term injuries. It killed any fading hope Arsenal may have had in pushing for the league. If you're out of Europe in March, it makes it all the more likely you'll be on top of England in May. Unless you plan on reaching the Champions League Final, it's more detrimental to your season to crash out in either the Semis or the Quarters than in the Last 16.

I understand this may not be a popular viewpoint, and obviously you want to win every competition in which you participate, but I'm just trying to be glass half-full here.