FCBARCELONA.CAT

19.03.2010 13:00

Arsenal share attacking philosophy

Roger Bogunyà

Arsenal are seen by many as the team with the most similar football philosophy to FC Barcelona and they count on a Catalan playmaker in Cesc Fàbregas as one of their main stars.

Arsène Wenger has been in charge of the Gunners since 1996 and has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play. The Frenchman’s team is packed with youngsters such as Fàbregas, who is 22, Samir Nasri, 22, Abou Diaby, 23, Thomas Vermaelen, 24, Alex Song, 23, Denilson, 22, and Nicklas Bendtner, 21. All are considered to be starters at the moment and with Wenger never changing his style the players know exactly what is expected of them.

Key player

The Gunners’ attacking play is organised by club captain Fàbregas and he will be the man to watch once again when he takes on his boyhood club. As well as his technique, vision and passing ability the Catalan is also the team’s top goalscorer with 14 in the Premier League. Andrei Arshavin is second with nine.

Title ambition

Despite pundits predicting that Arsenal would not be a dominant force this season the side have proved the doubters wrong and are challenging for the title along with Manchester United and Chelsea. They have kept up the pace despite being depleted up front with the sale of Emmanuel Adebayor and the long-term injury to Robin van Persie. Last season they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, two years ago they were in the quarters and the year before that went out at the last 32 stage having lost to Barça in the final in 2006.

The Gunners are just two points below Manchester United in the Premier League and have 64 points from 30 matches, while Chelsea are just below with 63.

Good run

In the Champions League this season, Arsenal have maintained an almost perfect record. After finishing the group stage ahead of Olympiacos, Standard Liege and AZ, they defeated Porto in convincing style in the last round after winning 5-0 in the second leg after going down 1-2 in Portgual. The Gunners have scored the most goals in this season’s competition with 18 to their name.

Three times before

Barça and Arsenal have only met three times before with the first two games coming in the group stage of the tournament in 1999/00. After winning 2-4 at Wembley, Barça then earned a pint from a 1-1 draw in camp Nou. The most recent meeting came in the final in Paris when the Blaugrana came from behind to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti.