Barcelona is determined to come away from Arsenal with a victory on Wednesday to underline their claims to the Champions League title this season.
But the Premier League side are confident of upsetting the Spanish league leaders and avenging last season’s 6-3 aggregate defeat in the quarterfinals.
The highly-anticipated last-16 tie between two teams with similar playing philosophies is one of the top encounters of the round’s four initial first leg matches being played on Tuesday and Wednesday.
While Arsenal takes on Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, north London neighbours Tottenham are at AC Milan on Tuesday in another intriguing encounter.
Last season Barcelona threw away a 2-0 lead at the Emirates Stadium to go home with a 2-2 draw, but then thrashed Arsenal 4-1 at home in the second leg, with Lionel Messi scoring all four goals.
“We must really try to win both matches this time,” said Barca defender Eric Abidal. “I really believe that we have the capacity to do so.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accepts that Barcelona is better than ever but insists that the same also applies to his own squad.
“We are different because we are in better form going into this game than we were last year and in a better shape physically,” he said.
And midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who was heavily courted by Barca in the summer, said: “We don’t have to worry too much about them. We have to play with no fear. Last season in the first half (of the first leg) we respected them too much. We just have to play our game.” Midfielder Samir Nasri is back in training after suffering a hamstring injury in the FA Cup win over Huddersfield Town, but is a major doubt, while midfielder Tomas Rosicky is struggling with a groin problem.
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