Champions League quarter-finals

[Chazza]

Bit of Opta info

Arsenal average formation (Left) Barca average formation (Right)


Barca attack locations


Sanga Touches Left - Alves Touches Right


Fabregas Passes Left - Xavi Passes Right


Fabregas Touches Left - Xavi Touches Right

[Shaggy]

Barcelona will be without key striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg-tie against Arsenal due to injury.

Ibrahimovic was forced to sit out Barcelona's 4-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao in a Spanish league game after hurting his calf in the warm-up.

The Swede, who joined Barca in the summer, will have a scan on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic scored twice in the first-leg against Arsenal as Barca came away from the Emirates with a 2-2 draw.

Bojan Krkic took Ibrahimovic's place against Bilbao, scoring twice.

The win, achieved with a weakened side as coach Pep Guardiola shuffled his resources ahead of Arsenal's midweek visit and a La Liga summit meeting at Real Madrid next weekend, moved Barcelona three points clear at the top of the league.

Yaya Toure and Jeffren Suarez also ended the game with knocks and face a race to be fit in time for Tuesday's match.

Barcelona are already without Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique for the game against Arsenal, with both central defenders suspended, and midfielder Andres Iniesta remains a doubt.

"We are short of players for Tuesday and we need support at the Nou Camp, the crowd can push us on - it's a real final," said Guardiola.

"If we advance, we will have the chance to be league and European champions at the end of this season, so it's our most important game of the whole year."

And Guardiola leapt to the defence of Maxwell, who was criticised for his lack of pace up against Arsenal's Theo Walcott in the first leg.

"I have heard some unfair remarks about him following the game against Arsenal, but Theo Walcott can run 100 metres in 10.37," he said.

Ibrahimovic joined Barcelona on a five-year contract in July in a deal that involved the Spanish club paying Inter Milan £40m with Samuel Eto'o moving to the Italian club.

[Vermilion]

Bit of Opta info

Arsenal average formation (Left) Barca average formation (Right)


Barca attack locations


Sanga Touches Left - Alves Touches Right


Fabregas Passes Left - Xavi Passes Right


Fabregas Touches Left - Xavi Touches Right

Barca are so much more spotty with the touch count, and way more slashy with the pass tally..... tells it's own story...vividly.

[Baracus]

I think its a good thing.

Then again. Henry might score 3-0 goals on purpose.

[Craig_H]

Is Iniesta gonna be fit?

I think they'll be fine without Zlatan.

[Lee]

I've a niggling feeling that Arsenal will surprise us all and get a result in Barcelona.

[anfieldanfield]

No Pique, Puyol or Zlatan.

Gives Arsenal half a chance I guess, but you would still have to strongly fancy Barca...

[Chris]

Arsenal have absolutely no chance here, Barca can replace the missings with quality players, Arsenal cant, they're ****ed.

[-V-]

I don't think Iniesta will be fit to play, heres how I think they will line-up.......

................Valdez
Alves.....Milito....Marquez.....Abidal
....................Yaya
..........Xavi............Keita/(Busquets)
Bojan...........Messi............Pedro

If either of the centre backs aren't fit then Yaya toure will drop into defence and Busquets will play the holding role. They also have Maxwell and Henry available should they be required. I think thats plenty to beat Arsenal

[Jayesh87]

I don't think Iniesta will be fit to play, heres how I think they will line-up.......

................Valdez
Alves.....Milito....Marquez.....Abidal
....................Yaya
..........Xavi............Keita/(Busquets)
Bojan...........Messi............Pedro

If either of the centre backs aren't fit then Yaya toure will drop into defence and Busquets will play the holding role. They also have Maxwell and Henry available should they be required. I think thats plenty to beat Arsenal

Abidal will play CB imo

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

I fancy Arsenal to go through for some reason

[Bender]

Song is out for Arsenal .......

[Kenneth]

I fancy Arsenal to go through for some reason

Me too. Probably because I am often wrong.

[Chris]

I fancy Arsenal to go through for some reason

It'd be one of the greatest results for an English team in my lifetime if they did. They're without the whole spine of their team and more (and have a ****ing awful keeper), I just cant see any way they can get through.

[Bender]

sorry but Messi will have a field day