Arsenal are capable of beating Barcelona in Champions League
There was a collective groan from North London on Monday when Arsenal were drawn against Barcelona in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. The massive matchup against the Spanish giants was widely considered the worst-case scenario for the Gunners, as Barca are the reigning European champions and still […]
There was a collective groan from North London on Monday when Arsenal were drawn against Barcelona in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. The massive matchup against the Spanish giants was widely considered the worst-case scenario for the Gunners, as Barca are the reigning European champions and still rated as the best team in the world. This will be the third time Arsenal play Barca in the knockout phase of the Champions League since the 2009-10 season.
Despite the tough draw, Arsenal fans should not panic just yet. Looking back at the last time these two tremendous teams faced off, in 2011, Barca advanced 4-3 on aggregate; however, it was surely an interesting two-legged affair. The Gunners actually recorded a 2-1 victory at home against Barca in the first match of the tie. Not only did Arsenal win on that memorable night, but they picked up the surprising victory with a team that included players such as Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Eboue, Nicklas Bendtner and Andrey Arshavin (with the Russian netting the eventual match-winner in the 83rd minute of the game).
With Arsenal heading to Spain needing only a draw to advance to the quarterfinals, it was Barca that struck first, as Leo Messi scored just before the halftime whistle blew. The Gunners, however, were quickly right back into the match due to an own goal by Sergio Busquets eight minutes after the start of the second half. With the match at 1-1, Arsenal forward Robin van Persie was sent off by the referee for playing on after the forward was flagged for offside. The highly controversial ruling completely changed the game, and Barca went on to score two goals within two minutes of each other to send the Catalan club into the next round of the competition.
The 2010-11 Barcelona team proceeded to win the Champions League as well as the La Liga title. Following the club’s 3-1 victory over Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in the final, the legendary Scottish manager labeled that Barca team as the greatest team he ever played against. That Barca side only lost four total matches during the campaign, with one of those coming against Arsenal.
Fast forward to the current campaign, and the Gunners will surely have a far superior side to play against the reigning champs. The health of Francis Coquelin will be a major talking point ahead of the first leg, which is played on Feb. 23 in London. The gritty defensive midfielder has been out since November with a knee injury, but is said to be ready to return to the pitch around the same time as the first match with Barca.
Manager Arsene Wenger could also strengthen his side, which is currently among the favorites to win the Premier League, during the upcoming January transfer period. An additional defensive midfielder to help take the pressure off of Coquelin would be a wise move for the Frenchman. A player such as Lars Bender or William Carvalho could really help the Gunners in their chase for Champions League and Premier League glory.
SEE MORE: Three defensive midfield options Arsenal should pursue in the January window.
Along with a defensive midfielder, Arsenal could possibly look to sign an additional forward as well. Although the club has netted 15 goals over their last eight total matches, adding another top class striker to this team could put them over the hump.
Whatever Wenger decides to do, the Gunners should be a confident bunch heading into the new year. Arsenal have accumulated more league points than any other Premier League side during the 2015 calendar year. While drawing Barcelona in the Champions League is certainly no easy task, Arsenal can shock the world and advance on to the quarterfinals, but they need to play two perfect matches.
