As a North Londoner I am smiling from ear to ear after the results from this week’s Champion league matches. As a Barca fan however I found myself waking up to the somewhat shock realization that we actually lost a game of football! Not the best start to a long weekend.
The last time these 2 teams met the result was devastating, Messi put in a performance of such authority and brilliance in the return leg at the Camp Nou that there was genuine talk of him being the best player to ever have walked onto a football pitch. Although Arsenal went on to lose the tie 3-6 on aggregate the result was by no means a ‘humiliation’ of the North Londoners but instead a ‘humbling’. Even Arsene Wenger as he watched the curtain come down on his European dream for another season couldn’t hold back the emotions of having watched a special display from a special player as he smiled and conceded that it had been a ‘memorable display’.
So one year on and much to Mr Wenger’s disappointment the Barcelona team who humbled his Arsenal outfit last season had not only gotten better but had ‘humiliated’ Jose Mourhinou in a 5-0 thrashing of Real Madrid and gone on to break a 50 year record which ironically had been set by Madrid so many years ago. So on paper it suffices to say that Arsenal had the football equivalent of Everest to conquer. Having said that, Barca had just witnessed the end to their winning run at the hands of Sporting a few days earlier dropping 2 points in the face of Madrid closing the gap to 5 points in la liga.
Prior to the game Guardiola decided to train in Barcelona ahead of the hotly anticipated clash and not take up the usual opportunity to train at the Emirates stadium as is customary in European competition, which raised a few eyebrows. But who are we to argue with Pep?
So the hour arrived and as the Arsenal faithful and the Catalans that made the journey over, hunkered down in their seats with excitement in the air and the teams emerged to commence proceedings. Both teams started strongly with Barcelona maintaining their trademark possession game and Arsenal working hard to break up the fluidity that was so crucial to their game. The first breakthrough came in the shape of a 26th minute strike by David Villa who continues to prove a worthy replacement of former Barca star and natural born goal scorer Samuel Eto’o now at Inter Milan. Arsenal, were down but far from out as they continued to press and created some good chances through the half with Van Persie coming close on a number of occasions. Messi continued to cause a real problem for the Arsenal back line as he drove through and after a clever bit of play chipped the ball past Szczesny only for it to drift inches wide of the post. On the 37th minute Messi went one better racing through and after a scuffle in the Arsenal area managed to get his head onto the ball to send it sailing into the net only for it to be signaled offside. Replays confirmed that he was in fact onside and with 2 away goals would have changed the face of the tie completely.
Arsenal came out in the second half with a renewed vigour knowing full well that they could well have been walking out to a score board reading 2 or 3 goals to Barcelona. The second half continued were the first had left off with a passing game from both sides so appealing on the eye and the best chance came along on the 68th minute as Messi took advantage of some slack defensive play but fired into the side netting, most uncustomary of Maradonna’s heir. Arsenal driven on by their ever controversial Catalan captain continued to press forward true to their philosophy and clawed their way back into the game. Van Persie who was guilty of missing some good chances early on found himself on the end of a clever ball from Clichy and from a tight angle managed to fire past and beat Valdes at his near post. With 78 minutes gone on the clock we were in for an exciting finish. Wenger smelt blood and orchestrated the timely introduction of Arshavin the Arsenal players tails were up and Guardiola was looking unusually concerned no doubt Arsenal’s dramatic comeback last season still fresh in mind. Barca continued to press and Arsenal looked for the opportunities to counter with quick breaks. And with 7 minutes of normal time to play the Arsenal had done what so many had failed to do, Nasri rolled the ball across to Arshavin who struck the ball first time leaving Valdes to watch the ball fly passed him. Advantage Arsenal.
All in all it was an enthralling encounter which lived up to expectations and sets up the return leg perfectly. Celebrations in the Arsenal camp will be short lived in the knowledge that Barcelona in the Camp Nou is a completely different prospect as last season testifies. No doubt the conditions of the pitch will be prepared to suit the Barca game with plenty of water applied beforehand.
Finally, Arsenal should be saluted and tribute paid to them for their achievements, the team so regularly taunted by their domestic rivals with the title of Barca B can feel content that they no long have to live with that label. For now at least they can bask in the glory of being Barca B+ J
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