Arsenal go in to mammoth Catalan battle

by Sam Cox @SamRCox_ share

23/2/2016 | 07:08pm

Arsenal go into the battle of all battles this evening, as they face a Barcelona side that have no lost in their last 32 matches in all competitions.

The Gunners will need to ride their luck/play their hearts out/give it their all/believe they can win (and anything else that Jamie Redknapp might say before this sort of match) if they are to have any chance of avoiding a humiliating defeat.

Olivier Giroud has been giving Arsenal fans a nice pep talk in the pre-match presser, despite the Frenchman being the weak link that so many think is holding the Gunners back. The striker seemed confident ahead of Arsenal’s biggest game of the season, or he is very good at acting..

Gerard Pique already has the attire, but is he all the gear, no idea?

I wonder if Gerard Pique is up for a good old medieval battle against Giroud tonight – https://t.co/mopSGf5lGvhttps://t.co/CcBQIKMgXO

— FootballFanCast.com (@FootballFanCast) February 23, 2016

Jack Wilshere, in typical Arsenal fashion, took to Twitter to support his team mates. Wilshere wants to build a fortress, but Barcelona’s Spanish centre-back looks like he would be well at home in a fort at the moment..

Good luck to the lads tonight this is what it's all about! Gutted I'm not able to play but let's make the Emirates a fortress!! #AFCvFCB

— Jack Wilshere (@JackWilshere) February 23, 2016

Arsenal ‘need to be positive’ and ‘move the ball quickly’, according to Alan McInally. Some great expertise there, although the Sky Sports panel of nonsensical waffle might be on to something..