Easier preparing for Barca than Hull, says Arsenal’s Wenger

Speaking ahead of his team’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg at Arsenal on Tuesday, Luis Enrique put that down to the selfless nature of a player who excels in every position.

In the last 7 games, Arsenal have scored just 6 times to Barcelona‘s 23, but Wenger believes his players can find the net against Luis Enrique’s side.

Barcelona are on the hunt for their second consecutive treble under Luis Enrique, boasting Europe’s most feared forward line in the shape of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. It is more to create belief and confidence, because Barcelona are super-favourites in this game. Against Hull it’s more to raise the urgency level and convince everybody that it’s a very hard game.

“Tomorrow, everybody’s convinced that we need absolutely to be as a whole squad totally focused, to have a chance…” “We need to make this quick because I want to go and watch Barcelona”, said Wenger as he headed into an interview room.

But Wenger believes that if Arsenal stand a chance of causing an upset in Tuesdays UEFA Champions League 1st leg at the Emirates, that they will have to keep Suarez quiet.

Olivier Giroud has netted five in the Champions League for Arsenal this term and is an11/5 anytime scorer. The closest are Rubin Kazan who Messi is still to score against despite playing them four times.

Messi, Neymar and Suarez have proved impossible to stop and Ivan Rakitic, the Barca midfielder tasked with getting the ball to his team’s deadly front three, admits he is in awe of their ability. Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Petr Cech will return to the squad on Tuesday for the crunch tie.

Arsenal can trouble any side on their day but it is likely that Barcelona have way too much for them.

“It makes me proud to play with them (MSN)”.

Wenger says Barcelona have adapted their approach since the last time Arsenal faced them in 2011 as they now focus less on keeping the ball.

“I think their strong spots are their quality, their talent and the way they play”.

Both teams, have met twice in the last six seasons, with Barcelona progressing on both occasions, Wenger’s men also suffered another defeat to Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final in Paris.