Part 1- Two key battles in Arsenal versus Barcelona
Both have distinctively similar styles, both have coaches who are football romantics.
Spanish talents dictate midfield traffic in both the clubs but this Anglo-Iberian match has many dynamics to it. Eight players from Barcelona’s senior team squad made it to the FIFA World Player of the Year shortlist whereas only Cesc Fabregas was nominated
from Arsenal’s first team squad.
The gulf of class between both the sides is apparent so is the difference in success over the past five years.
However, one thing that unites both the teams is their philosophy to play purist football. Pass and move style has now come to dominate club football due to sides like Barcelona. Arsene Wenger at Arsenal works with the same ideology albeit minor changes.
Thus, the tie between Arsenal and Barcelona at Emirates Stadium brings a feast of football to the theatre of UEFA Champions League. There are some key battles that will define the course of the match.
The two legged match which is a replay of last year’s quarter final in the UEFA Champions League can be a recipe for Arsenal who have been struggling to keep up with Manchester United on the domestic front.
For Barcelona, a defeat in the Round-of-16 will come as a shock to Azulgranas and such a failure can have repercussions for Barcelona’s title defence in the Spanish La Liga against their staunchest rivals, Real Madrid.
1. Fabregas versus Busquets
World Cup winners and friends off the field but rivals on it, Cesc Fabregas and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sergio-Busquets-c33048 are both products of Barcelona’s famous youth academy which now has a reputation for breeding footballers which mirror technical finesse. Sergio Busquets has
cemented his reputation as one of the most remarkable holding midfielders in club football over the past two years.
After having won the FIFA 2010 World Cup playing alongside Fabregas in the Spanish national team, Barcelona’s lanky midfielder knows the weaknesses and the strengths of his counterpart. In the semi-final of the FIFA World Cup, Busquets schooled Mesut Ozil
in the art of man-marking and game reading.
This time around the young defensive playmaker will have to lecture Fabregas in shutting up shop. Although Barcelona’s style prevents from playing a man-marking game due to the tremendous amount of possession they usually have during their competitive fixtures,
Busquets is adept at nullifying the opposition’s offensive threat.
On the other hand, Cesc Fabregas is an experienced campaigner. After evading Barcelona’s transfer grasp in the summer transfer window of 2010, Arsenal’s midfielder is now ready to lead his side against his childhood club. Fabregas has evolved into one of
the most complete midfielders on the planet.
Star of the show at Arsenal FC and Arsene Wenger’s favourite to go along with it, Fabregas is Arsenal’s key to unlocking Barcelona’s defensive lock. The 23 year old midfielder has got the vision and the capability to lead his team to a win over Barcelona
but Busquets stands in his way as the guardian of Catalan club’s defence.
Last season, Fabregas led his team to a historic comeback against Barcelona after the Gunners were down by two 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.
During that match, Busquets failed to keep track of Cesc’s whereabouts on the field and as a result Barcelona had to undertake a demolition job in the second leg at Camp Nou.
This time around, Busquets is once again set to face the music against Fabregas. Only this time, Barcelona’s hailed defensive shield must not falter in his task.
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