Arsenal’s Champions League nightmare

The draw for the Champions League last 16 saw Arsenal drawn to face Spanish giants Barcelona. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON

The draw for the Champions League last 16 saw Arsenal drawn to face Spanish giants Barcelona. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON

Published Dec 15, 2015

Share

Three teams remained as Argentina legend Javier Zanetti reached into the glass pot, swirled them around and unscrewed another little orb of fate.

Arsene Wenger would have hoped to see Andre Villas-Boas and his Zenit St Petersburg team released in an icy cloud, frosty and groggy from the depths of Russia’s mid-season hibernation.

But out sprang the sunbeams and streamers of a Catalan carnival featuring Lionel Messi and the world’s most exciting strikeforce.

This was scant reward for Arsenal after the feat of escapology which was capped last week by a 3-0 win against Olympiacos in Greece.

Any lingering traces of euphoria washed away as Zanetti unfolded the name of Barcelona.

Yesterday’s draw for the Champions League last 16 was no kinder to Chelsea, who topped their group only to be paired with Paris Saint-Germain for a third successive year.

Manchester City, at least, appreciated the work of Zanetti & Co in Switzerland. City will face Dynamo Kiev when the competition resumes in February. Like Russian champions Zenit, the Ukrainians will be near the end of a three-month winter break from their domestic programme, and may play the first leg behind closed doors in Kiev after Uefa sanctions for racism by fans.

For all his tact and natural caution, Manuel Pellegrini must fancy his chances of progressing and will be satisfied to see some of the wealthiest and most ambitious clubs coupled in the other ties.

Bayern Munich go up against Juventus and Real Madrid face Roma, while two from Gent, Wolfsburg, Zenit and Benfica will be waiting in the quarter-finals.

As for the prospect of tackling Barcelona, holders and favourites, expect to hear upbeat chat from the Emirates about how they are good enough to beat anyone on the day, and how you need to beat the best to win the Champions League.

Arsenal secretary David Miles had plenty of these lines, but he did add, with a smile: ‘I was told by my family if you bring back Barcelona don’t bother coming home.

‘It’s not going to be easy and it’s the tie most Arsenal fans would have wanted to avoid at this stage.We’ve got our own world-class players and we’ll certainly go for this.’

It is a real test for Wenger’s team, who may have Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck back from injury by February but must find strength to overturn recent trends. They have fallen at this stage in the last five years and have never overcome Barcelona.

They won the home leg of a last-16 tie 2-1 in 2011 but went out in the Nou Camp, as they did the previous year when Messi scored four in a mesmerising quarter-final. It is ‘a guaranteed spectacle of football’, according to Barcelona director Albert Soler.

Chelsea-PSG III will crackle with drama and tension, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in pursuit of his first European title in what is expected to be his final few months in Paris.

Jose Mourinho’s team won on away goals thanks to a late strike by Demba Ba on the way to the semi-finals in 2013, but were beaten last season, also on away goals.

Ibrahimovic branded Chelsea players ‘babies’ in March for their excitable reaction to a tackle which earned him a red card at Stamford Bridge as PSG went through.

The first leg had been marred by an abhorrent incident on the Paris Metro before kick-off, when a black commuter was refused access into a carriage by Chelsea fans as they chanted about being racist.

The moment was caught on film and sparked a criminal investigation which ended with long banning orders for four fans. Chelsea have since introduced changes to ticket distribution for European away games. From this season, in line with other clubs, tickets must be collected from a city-centre pick-up point on game day, with fans producing passport identification. It enables Chelsea to have more control over who travels and attends the game.

In their present form, it is difficult to envisage a Chelsea win but Mourinho will hope to have recovered, and may have some fresh blood in his squad following the January transfer window.

City were rewarded after winning their group for the first time, but director of football Txiki Begiristain reacted with caution to a tie with Dynamo Kiev, who qualified as runners-up in Chelsea’s group.

‘It’s going to be difficult but the most important thing is that we show we’re improving in this competition and we’ll fight to get to the quarters,’ said Begiristain.

There is also pressure on the English clubs from Italy for the privileged status as one of Uefa’s top three ranked leagues, which entitles them to four places in the Champions League. These ‘coefficient’ rankings are compiled using a formula based on results in both European competitions over the last five years.

The Italians are closing the gap, but Tottenham may hold the key having been drawn against high-flying Fiorentina in the Europa League.- Daily Mail

Related Topics: