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Arsenal look to replicate resilient 2011 performance against Barca in UCL clash

By on February 22, 2016

The Emirates Stadium has rarely seen a more thrilling night than that of February 16, 2011.  One of the greatest football teams, Barcelona, at the peak of their powers in Pep Guardiola’s’ reign at the Nou Camp that year, were visiting Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.  The prior season, Barca had roundly defeated Arsenal 6-3 on aggregate in the Champions League Quarterfinals; the Gunners had descended a long way from their prominence in European football three years prior, when they had obliterated anyone that stood before them in England and lost narrowly to Barca in the 2006 Champions League final.

Perhaps, however, that underdog attitude spurred Arsenal on towards a 2-1 win back in 2011, one of the most memorable of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal career.  “I accepted that Barcelona would have more of the ball than us – sometimes it’s best to put yourself in the frame of mind knowing it is possible because then you are prepared to deal with it. If you are not prepared mentally it can shock you and take your confidence away,” said Wenger, per Arsenal’s official website.

After a tight, tense first half, Barca took a 1-0 lead into halftime.  Yet Robin van Persie broke a huge barrier in terms of mindset for Arsenal with an beautiful volleyed equalizer on the other side of the break.  All of a sudden, every thing clicked.  Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas suddenly shed their “baby Barca” status and not only matched, but outplayed the European champions.

“The problem when you have a fantastic side like Barcelona is that they seem invincible, there is an aura around them that make teams feel inferior to them,” said Daily Mirror journalist John Cross.  “But when you score against them that mystique is taken away and the fans could feel that more than anyone. The atmosphere was so intense after the goal.”

Andrey Arshavin would go on to score the winner for Arsenal to complete the comeback.

“We stuck to what we wanted to do, and that – as well as our mental strength and togetherness – was dominant to our success,” said Wenger.  “Nobody showed any sign of dropping their focus. It was a massive night because everything clicked. Our fans were fantastic – like the players, they refused to give in. It was a night to show the whole world how fantastic football can be.”

As Arsenal head into their first meeting with Barca, tomorrow night, since that famous Champions League tie in 2011 (Barca would go on to win 3-1 in the opposite leg, knocking out Wenger’s men), they need to adopt this same mentality or face the brutal, overwhelming reality that they’re yet again facing the kings of Europe and are more likely than ever to be knocked out of the Champions League at the Round of 16 stage for the fifth year running.

Facing Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar up top – a trio that Wenger has praised as “not far” from perfect, having scored far more goals this season than Arsenal’s team as a whole – the home side’s task is daunting.  Punch for punch, they’re still a shadow of Luis Enrique’s Barca side; but if they can escape the stubbornness of Wenger’s philosophy, then maybe, just maybe they can catch Barca off guard with a ruthless, incisive victory akin to that great comeback in 2011.

“It’s quite funny because the one year we beat them they played us off the park,” Wenger said.  Perhaps that’s not a coincidence if it’s all in Arsenal’s mentality.

Barca are unbeaten in their last thirty-two matches and Arsenal must be lethal in front of goal to have any chance of dethroning the visitors.  Wenger, however, is more worried about their defensive performance.
“I think we will score so I am not too concerned,” he said, per UEFA’S official website. “It’s true that recently our goals have dried up a bit and we have to find a way to get that going again. But I am more concerned about stopping them from scoring because at home in the Champions League nil-nil is not a bad score.”

“We have always made it difficult for ourselves in previous years by conceding goals at home and the rules of the modern European Cup encourage teams to defend at home and attack away because of the importance of the away goal.”

Wenger, though, has Petr Cech in goal this time around.  In eight matches against Barca, the Czech goalkeeper has never allowed a single goal to the Catalans and will almost certainly need to keep a clean sheet tomorrow night to keep Arsenal in the tie and avoid allowing “a knife in your heart” in the form of an away goal.

“We need a top-level team performance where everybody is spot on with their discipline, sharp physically and ready to work for the team,” Wenger said. “Being resilient, having great solidarity and showing intelligence as well. Let’s not forget we have a great defensive record. Maybe we were too keen [in previous two-legged Champions League exits] to make the difference in the first game. We have to find the right balance between being audacious, which is what you need to be against Barcelona, but also being a strong defensive unit.”

Photo credit: L.F.Salas, via Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.