I'm a cules from heart.So the following is going to be a lot biased for many.
I'll try to be correct with the facts as far as I can.
This year's UEFA Champion's league round of 16 was almost a repeat telecast for the blaugrana.
They met the only other team which can claim to play attractive football as themselves, "Arsenal".
Aresene Wenger and his boys play the beautiful game as it should be played.
No other team in England are as entertaining as they are.
And the talismanic frenchman himself claims that his footballing philosophy is inspired
from the one Johan Cryuff injected in the catalan blood decades ago.
Last year too it was a battle of proving who was better in applying the same tactics,
ball possession, passing movement and creation of chances.
And the Barcelona team of 2009-10 showed fully well that they were years
ahead of the gunners.
Though last years Barca attack wasn't that lethal, the solitary reason was Zlatan Ibrahimovich being
unable to gell into the squad and provide as many goals as he should.
Barca slipped a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time at the Emirates Stadium to concede 2 goals in a short span
just before the final whistle.That too at the cost of captain Puyi getting banished for
fowling on captain Cesc inside the penalty area.
But the away game at the Nou Camp was a different story for the north londoners.
With Captain fantastic out of the draw because of an aggravated ankle injury,thanks to the
last minute penalty he scored back at home, Arsenal were to find a goal if they were to proceed in the cup.
And what more could they expect.Nicklas Bendtner provided them the break just within 4 minutes from start.
Little did the gunners know what lay ahead of them.
Our little magician was on top of his game that night scoring 4 goals to round up things 6-3 for the catalan fans.
This year too the Barca fans were expecting a similar result even at the emirates because of the lethal away form shown by the team.
With the inclusion of one of the most complete striker's of contemporary
Europe, David Villa, the Barcelona front three(the other two being Leo Messi and Pedrito) were having a great
season by already bagging over 50 league goals in less than 20 matches.
The first leg game at Emirates was a classy performance from the talented Barcelona midfield.
The credit for this beautiful presentation goes to La Masia for producing men like Xavi Hernandez(31),Andres Iniesta(27) and Sergio Busquets(23).
But Barca lacked the aggresiveness in front of goal.Leo Messi and Pedro Rodriguez missed one-on-one chances in front of goal more than a couple of times each.
It was David Villa who scored the only goal from a beautifully laid Leo Messi through ball.
Things were going great with over 65 percent possesion and it didn't seem the gunners would be able to get anything out of the game.
But as ever if you are supporting Barca you are never in the comfort zone unless you are 2-0/3-0 up.
And that was proved once again when misses passes from some our players paved way for counter-attacks that couldn't be contained.
The result being Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin getting goals on 78th and 83rd minute.
Though the Arsenal side was almost complete except for the absence of right back Sagna and the centre back Vermalean, with Cesc, Walcott, Nasri, Song and the young Wilshere
featuring and on top of their games in the recent past, such a result was hard to digest.
But it was proved again that unless you get the goals its not counted how you play.
Coz people now don't remember the beautiful performance put up that night, people just remember that the drought stricken Arsenal side had defeated great Barcelona,
They have asserted their suppremacy by defeating the side claimed by many as the best footballing team of all times, complete in every aspect.
Now what remains, is to see if the blaugranas can turn the 2-1 deficit in their favour at home.
To their advantage they have 98,000 fans cheering for them,they have Captain Puyi back in action which he missed in Emirates due to a knee injury.
But they loose the other half of their defence in the form of Gerrerd Pique(yellow card at the Emirates).
The gunners have a lot on their head to worry about.They might be missing their fantastic striker Van Persie.
They'll be without Theo Walcott too thus reducing the threat to Barca from counter-attacks .
Also Song is not 100 % fit.
Cesc Fabregas will be returning home with a hamstring injury too.He'll be playing at the ground he always wanted to be for the first time in his already illustrious career.
Now that could boost him up or melt him down, seeing the home fans eagerly awaiting the return of their boy.
Centre-back Vermalean will be absent like last time.
So it'll be all on little wilshere, the fabulous frenchman Samir Nasri and the russian rocket Arshavin to repeat what they did at home and maintain the lead.
As for Barcelona if they do what they did at Emirates plus converting the chances in front of goal, they'll easily sail through.
And if the gunners start defending which English teams are usually good at because of the physical nature of their game, then los cules will have to look
upto that little man who can crack any defence apart and win games on his own.
If Messi is back at his best which he is not right now, then you can stay assured of seeing a great thrashing of the gunners like that of los blancos earlier this season.
The stage is set, lets see how the great Barcelona gets things done on tuesday night.
I'll try to be correct with the facts as far as I can.
This year's UEFA Champion's league round of 16 was almost a repeat telecast for the blaugrana.
They met the only other team which can claim to play attractive football as themselves, "Arsenal".
Aresene Wenger and his boys play the beautiful game as it should be played.
No other team in England are as entertaining as they are.
And the talismanic frenchman himself claims that his footballing philosophy is inspired
from the one Johan Cryuff injected in the catalan blood decades ago.
Last year too it was a battle of proving who was better in applying the same tactics,
ball possession, passing movement and creation of chances.
And the Barcelona team of 2009-10 showed fully well that they were years
ahead of the gunners.
Though last years Barca attack wasn't that lethal, the solitary reason was Zlatan Ibrahimovich being
unable to gell into the squad and provide as many goals as he should.
Barca slipped a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time at the Emirates Stadium to concede 2 goals in a short span
just before the final whistle.That too at the cost of captain Puyi getting banished for
fowling on captain Cesc inside the penalty area.
But the away game at the Nou Camp was a different story for the north londoners.
With Captain fantastic out of the draw because of an aggravated ankle injury,thanks to the
last minute penalty he scored back at home, Arsenal were to find a goal if they were to proceed in the cup.
And what more could they expect.Nicklas Bendtner provided them the break just within 4 minutes from start.
Little did the gunners know what lay ahead of them.
Our little magician was on top of his game that night scoring 4 goals to round up things 6-3 for the catalan fans.
This year too the Barca fans were expecting a similar result even at the emirates because of the lethal away form shown by the team.
With the inclusion of one of the most complete striker's of contemporary
Europe, David Villa, the Barcelona front three(the other two being Leo Messi and Pedrito) were having a great
season by already bagging over 50 league goals in less than 20 matches.
The first leg game at Emirates was a classy performance from the talented Barcelona midfield.
The credit for this beautiful presentation goes to La Masia for producing men like Xavi Hernandez(31),Andres Iniesta(27) and Sergio Busquets(23).
But Barca lacked the aggresiveness in front of goal.Leo Messi and Pedro Rodriguez missed one-on-one chances in front of goal more than a couple of times each.
It was David Villa who scored the only goal from a beautifully laid Leo Messi through ball.
Things were going great with over 65 percent possesion and it didn't seem the gunners would be able to get anything out of the game.
But as ever if you are supporting Barca you are never in the comfort zone unless you are 2-0/3-0 up.
And that was proved once again when misses passes from some our players paved way for counter-attacks that couldn't be contained.
The result being Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin getting goals on 78th and 83rd minute.
Though the Arsenal side was almost complete except for the absence of right back Sagna and the centre back Vermalean, with Cesc, Walcott, Nasri, Song and the young Wilshere
featuring and on top of their games in the recent past, such a result was hard to digest.
But it was proved again that unless you get the goals its not counted how you play.
Coz people now don't remember the beautiful performance put up that night, people just remember that the drought stricken Arsenal side had defeated great Barcelona,
They have asserted their suppremacy by defeating the side claimed by many as the best footballing team of all times, complete in every aspect.
Now what remains, is to see if the blaugranas can turn the 2-1 deficit in their favour at home.
To their advantage they have 98,000 fans cheering for them,they have Captain Puyi back in action which he missed in Emirates due to a knee injury.
But they loose the other half of their defence in the form of Gerrerd Pique(yellow card at the Emirates).
The gunners have a lot on their head to worry about.They might be missing their fantastic striker Van Persie.
They'll be without Theo Walcott too thus reducing the threat to Barca from counter-attacks .
Also Song is not 100 % fit.
Cesc Fabregas will be returning home with a hamstring injury too.He'll be playing at the ground he always wanted to be for the first time in his already illustrious career.
Now that could boost him up or melt him down, seeing the home fans eagerly awaiting the return of their boy.
Centre-back Vermalean will be absent like last time.
So it'll be all on little wilshere, the fabulous frenchman Samir Nasri and the russian rocket Arshavin to repeat what they did at home and maintain the lead.
As for Barcelona if they do what they did at Emirates plus converting the chances in front of goal, they'll easily sail through.
And if the gunners start defending which English teams are usually good at because of the physical nature of their game, then los cules will have to look
upto that little man who can crack any defence apart and win games on his own.
If Messi is back at his best which he is not right now, then you can stay assured of seeing a great thrashing of the gunners like that of los blancos earlier this season.
The stage is set, lets see how the great Barcelona gets things done on tuesday night.
