Last 16: Arsenal F.C. vs FC Barcelona First Leg 16.02.11

[matfcb]

vs

Kick-off time: 16th February 2011 at 20:45 CET

Previous UEFA Champions League games:

Arsenal F.C. - S.C. Braga 6-0
FC Barcelona - Panathinaikos F.C. 5-1
FK Partizan - Arsenal F.C. 1-3
Rubin Kazan - FC Barcelona 1-1
Arsenal F.C. - Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1
FC Barcelona - F.C. Copenhagen 2-0
Shakhtar Donetsk - Arsenal F.C. 2-1
F.C. Copenhagen - FC Barcelona 1-1
S.C. Braga - Arsenal F.C. 2-0
Panathinaikos F.C. - FC Barcelona 0-3
Arsenal F.C. - FK Partizan 3-1
FC Barcelona - Rubin Kazan 2-0

This season UCL results:

Arsenal F.C. 4W 0D 2L GF 18 GA 7 GD +11 12 pts 2nd place in Group H
FC Barcelona 4W 2D 0L GF 14 GA 3 GD +11 14 pts 1st place in Group D

Highlights from last meeting:



I hope we won't be cocky like last time at Emirates when we should be 5-0 after 15 minutes and win this game, instead we drew it 2-2 and the tie wasn't finished. Puyol is in big doubt for this game, this could mean Maxwell as LB and Abidal as CB.

[LondonCule]

any tickets avaliable in the barca section?

[Smiler]

I couldn't get any while in Barcelona last week. I think there's a snowballs chance in hell of getting "Barca" tickets from a tout on Wednesday. Unfortunately (or fortunately...), I'll watch the game in my local pub, full of Arsenal fans.

[matfcb]

Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli (39) has been appointed by Uefa to lead Arsenal-Barcelona on Wednesday

Nicola Rizzoli was the referee when Barcelona defeated Panathinaikos 5-1 in Sep 2010 #fcblive No Arsenal game so far [worldreferee.com]

The players will tomorrow in the afternoon travel to London. They are expected to arrive at Luton airport at 17:50 (barcelona time)

Sport report that Puyol will not travel to London.

[Silvztoon]

Enjoy this epic trailer from my good friend ElAlonso.
Get pumped up guys! Its gonna be one hell of a game!

[Pedro17]

this could be it..

----------------------------------Szczesny --------------------------------------
----------------------Djourou-----------------Koscielny-------------------------
--------------Villa-------------------------------------------------------Clichy---
-------------------------------------------------------------------Pedro----------
-------Eboué-------------------M--E--S--S--I------------------------------------
-------------------------------------Song-----------------------------------------
----------------------Iniesta--------------------Wilshere------------------------
-------------------------------Fàbregas------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------Xavi-----------------Alves---
-Walcott--------------------------Busquets-----------------Arshavin----------
------Maxwell--------------------van Persie------------------------------------
-----------------------Abidal-------------------------Piqué----------------------
------------------------------------Valdés----------------------------------------

i definitely can see some space for messi in here.

[IndoCulé]

Like many other clubs, Arsenal will kills this game by scoring early and defend for the rest of the game. From Arsenal's perspective, that is the only way they could qualify. We either score an early goal and retain possesion or we could let them retain possesion and we run like mad dog.

Most dangerous player for Arsenal are Walcott & Fabregas. Walcott has great pace and he can easily outrun anyone. Like Messi Walcott can single handedly kill a game.

Fabregas without a doubt is a world class midfield and his passinhs can kill us. Busquets / Xavi / Keita / Mascherano must man mark him all the time.

Weakest player in Arsenal squad is Szczesny. He don't play much at high level competitive football & we must an advantage of this.

[indigo1962]

hi guys
genuine barcelona fan and supporter here
anyone knows where i can buy 1 tkt for the game tomorrow
i live in london and i am local to the EMIRATES GROUND

PLEASE ADV
THANX

[Pedro17]

Walcott is dangerous due to his pace, i dont know if Maxwell can handle this.. but he will
Fabregas wont be man marked, WE are the favourites, WE have to be man marked, we will 'just' press as a whole team, as always. We have to keep the ball long, move very quickly and find some space. (in my opinion arsenals defence is NOT world class) their center backs are definately a weakness, and so is their goalkeeper.
Messi should try to shot as much as possible when he is in his typical position. At least 2 away goals would be nice for me.

(i dont know why, but i see some danger in wilshere n van perversie)

[IndoCulé]

Enjoy this epic trailer from my good friend ElAlonso.
Get pumped up guys! Its gonna be one hell of a game!

This video is awesome! Thanks for sharing.

[IndoCulé]

Players travelling to London:

Valdés, Pinto, Adriano, Alves, Piqué, Maxwell, Milito, Abidal, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Keita, Messi, Bojan, Afellay, Pedro, Villa, Mascherano and Thiago.

[irishbarca]

Hello fellow Barca fans...I am travelling to London for the Arsenal game from Dublin but unfortunately I have been unable to obtain a ticket. Does anyone know if there is any possibility getting a ticket in the Barca section?? I know this is a pretty impossible ask but I am desperate now. I would even take a ticket in the Arsenal section :) Failing that, does anyone know if there's any particular venue that the Barca fans go to before the game at the Emirates??

[LondonCule]

im going down a pub called the dairy mate.

[indigo1962]

Hello fellow Barca fans...I am travelling to London for the Arsenal game from Dublin but unfortunately I have been unable to obtain a ticket. Does anyone know if there is any possibility getting a ticket in the Barca section?? I know this is a pretty impossible ask but I am desperate now. I would even take a ticket in the Arsenal section :) Failing that, does anyone know if there's any particular venue that the Barca fans go to before the game at the Emirates??

hello mate
hows the craic
i am a londoner and hv been a barcelona supporter all my life
same boat as u r in--no ticket
i will b going to the ground just in case i manage to get 1
meet up with me if u like, i will leave the refectory pub, opposite golders green station, in golders green abt 3.30 pm---u cant miss me---as i will b the onlyone in a barcelona jacket.
lets meet up and see what chance we have to get 2 tkts
or as londoncule says---lets meet up in the DAIRY pub---not that far from finsbury park station
best regards
indy

[irishbarca]

The Dairy Mate sounds good to me