Will Camp Nou be Wenger's Moment?

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal and Barcelona met in the 2006 UEFA Champions League final with Arsene Wenger on the verge of securing the holy grail at that time with a powerful line up that included Lehmann, Eboué, Touré, Campbell, Cole, Pirès, Gilberto, Fàbregas, Hleb, Ljungberg and Henry - using Flamini and Reyes as subs. On that night in the Stade de France the French manager looked the most likely to add to the trophy cabinet at the Islington Club. It would also confirm all the prognosis about his unique approach to the game, only to see Jens Lehmann sent off in the eighteenth minute, giving the earliest indications that it was probably not to be for Arsenal on the night. 

Since that fateful night in Paris Arsenal have added no silverware of note and only three players remain in the Barcelona squad; Valdes and Iniesta. Both very much Guardiola disciples. 

Having supervised the changing of the old guard over recent seasons Wenger arrives at the Camp Nou on Tuesday determined to make the first leg victory at The Emirates count hopefully enough to disable a Barcelona XI - faced with the key absences of Pique and Puyol – allowing Arsenal sneak through to the next stage. The fact that Jose Mourinho at Inter was the only recent victor at the Camp Nou last April shows how imposing a venue it is for visitors in the Champions League - and La Liga for that matter. 

If history is where managers find their motivation when facing these epic encounters then Wenger is also in trouble as the last Champions League trip ended 4-1 in favour of the Catalans – and 6-3 on aggregate. In fact, Arsenal have failed to beat Barça in their first five attempts, drawing two and losing three – conceding ten goals in those defeats. For Tuesday the omens are not good either as Arsenal arrive with indifferent form and on the foot of a draw with Sunderland with injury doubts about key assets, Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas. 

In addition the background noise increased with some unintentional fighting talk over the weekend from Barca Gaffer, Pep Guardiola, in reference to Jack Wilshere when he said 

“He can be a great player for Arsenal and England, but we have many types of player like him in the second team. He’s lucky as Arsenal have time. There is not the pressure to win titles as quickly as possible. We have second-team players like him.” 

Perhaps Guardiola is rueing one of the substitutions made at The Emirates in the first leg which seemed to alter the balance of the game as David Villa's replacement, Saif Keita in the 68th minute, saw Arsenal get back into the match. 

Regardless the second leg at the Camp Nou is bound to leave fans and players breathless as the additional width of the pitch seems to light up Lionel Messi, where he loves breaking into the penalty area from his favourite perch on the left touch line. The deft tikka- takka that epitomises the World Cup Champions Spain, and best practised by Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets, is not fully matched by the Wenger style in the Premier League. And the 1957 construct that is the Camp Nou can hold over 99,000 passionate Barca fans and only ads to the ambience of what can best described as a "Catalan Cauldron" before whom the footballing Gladiators will battle it out - almost to the death. 

Only the sight of the waving white hankies by the local fans will suggest a Barca surrender or that the home fans are unhappy with progress on the field and an unplanned end to proceedings. But given that the club leads La Liga by 7 points there is little to suggest that anyone has come up with the antidote for the Barca magic or that Wenger has a good enough plan to derail Barca either on Tuesday night. Indeed, even his own explanations are not reassuring; 

“It's our next game and we want to stay in the competition. If you ask any player, he will give his life to win this match. Both sides have similar philosophies and both want to win trying to play good football.” 

“For us one of the problems is to get away from Barcelona's pressure and we shall see how we can do that.” 

Only a win at this stage of the Champions League, against Barcelona, will convince the doubters that there is indeed a method to Wenger’s way. 

One curious fact though clouds the issue. Arsenal have won the first leg at home on 15 occasions in UEFA competition, and then gone on win the tie no less than 14 times. The only exception came in Spain in the 2000/01 quarter-finals when a 2-1 home win against Valencia CF preceded a 1-0 away reverse. 

Maybe history will count after all?