Barcelona vs Arsenal

Barca Vs Arsenal

It's crunchtime at the Nou Camp as Barcelona look to overcome a 2-1 deficit against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League.

By SavetheparrotsBRO

Although Arsenal look to have seized the advantage in the round of 16 tie by virtue of their earlier win, there is still much to play for, especially in light of Barcelona's crucial away goal scored at the Emirates.

What will give Pep Guardiola confidence that his side can overcome the Gunners is the fact that the last time these two sides clashed at the Nou Camp, the Gunners were spanked 4-1 by an inspired Lionel Messi, who notched all four goals.

The Argentine will certainly be in the spotlight again, and will want to erase the memories of his last performance against the Gunners, given Messi missed several sitters that could have sewed up the tie for Barcelona.

But it's not just Messi who will be crucial to this fixture, and we take a look at the other battles that will determine which side makes the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season.

Cesc Fabregas vs Javier Mascherano

The battle for midfield supremacy will be crucial, and much of Arsenal's hopes will depend on whether Fabregas can outwit Mascherano in the centre of the park.

Although Mascherano did not feature in the first leg, there is a strong probability that he will start at the Nou Camp.

With Carles Puyol still out with injury, and Gerard Pique suspended, Guardiola will look to field holding midfielder Sergi Busquets in defence to partner Eric Abidal instead, which means the Argentine will take on the job of stopping Fabregas.

However. there are question marks about Fabregas' match-fitness though, as he will be making a return to the pitch for the first time after having suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury against Stoke City two weeks ago.

Lionel Messi vs Gael Clichy

Much responsibility will rest on the shoulders of Clichy, as the leftback will have to be prepared for yet another encounter with the current holder of the FIFA Ballon d'Or .

The Frenchman will still be traumatized by the last time he played Messi, and must look to improve on his defensive performance.

Frankly, Clichy's defensive play has been inconsistent for Arsenal this season, and he represents a weak link in the Gunners' defence, especially with his habit of backing off, rather than seizing the initiative to tackle the opposition.

His penchant for taking the game to the opposition by charging down the left flank could also play into Barcelona's hands, with Messi ready to launch swift counter-attacks the moment Clichy moves out of position.

Pedro vs Bacary Sagna

It is not just the left wing that Arsenal have to worry about. Sagna, who was out from the first leg through suspension, should return to take over Emmanuel Eboue at right back for the Gunners.

The Frenchman will face one of his greatest challenges in trying to stop Pedro, who is a handful for any winger, especially with his ability to play with both feet and leave defenders bamboozled by pace and trickery.

Why Pep Guardiola and even Real Madrid players rate Pedro so highly though, is the fact that the young Spaniard is the perfect team player, and his all-round contribution to the cause in both attack and midfield means that there will be a running battle between the two players for the entire match, which could be crucial in the balance of the tie.

Samir Nasri vs Eric Abidal

An intriguing battle between two generations of French talent will take place at the Nou Camp as Nasri tries to outwit Abidal.

The fact is that Guardiola has been forced to play Abidal from his favoured left-back position as a result of the defensive crisis that has hit the La Liga giants, and although the Frenchman is very experienced, his lack of pace could prove to be Barcelona's undoing, especially when faced against the wily Nasri, who has embarrassed many a centre-back in the Barclays Premier League this season.

Although Nasri is expected to play out on the right wing for the Gunners, his ability to inter-change positions with Fabregas and attack the middle of the penalty box with pace could confuse Abidal and leave gaps in the heart of the Barcelona defence.

Opinion:I truly believe in Arsenal that can win and since she is my fav team and has an advantage from first round(2-1 win for arsenal),all i am sayin' is ARSENAL ALL THE WAY!

Enjoy^^