“I believe that apart from the individual talent the three have, they have a good understand and cohesion”. The combined force of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez make the Catalans hot favourites to become the first team in the Champions League era to retain the European Cup.
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LONDON, ENGLAND- Arsenal will welcome defending champions Barcelona to the Emirates as the sides meet in the UEFA Champions League last 16.
“Arsenal are known for having a style of play, a way of understanding football through having the ball”, he said.
Barcelona come to the Emirates on Tuesday, where they are favored to take a lead in the first leg of play.
Here’s who made the cut… We will have less of the ball than against Hull, but we have to make the most of it. This team has been really good at time and at home they can beat anyone as they showed when they beat Bayern Munich earlier in the season.
The two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“They are the most efficient [in the world]; top, top class”, he added.
Not only will stopping them be very hard indeed, it will also be absolutely necessary.
Messi inspired Barcelona to La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League last season, combining to thrilling effect with Neymar and Luis Suarez in a devastating attacking trio.
“I believe you can not say you are a big club and you just want to defend”.
It means we’ll be without four first team players for the visit of Barcelona as Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla are still working their way back to full fitness from long-term injuries.
The Gunners boss has always been an advocate of attacking football but that philosophy has seen his side endure a torrid run in the knockout stages of the competition as they have not got past the round of 16 for the past five years.
“I think Barcelona always has the possession of the ball and controls the game”. They are going to press high at some moments in the game. On the other hand, Barcelona is a very offensive team.
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No one expects them to get anything out of these two games against Barcelona and with that sort of freedom, they might just surprise a lot of people.
