FAB 90% FIT- ARSENE WENGER
Arsenal boss Arsene
Wenger has said Cesc
Fabregas is likely to be
fit for Tuesday's
Champions League
last-16 second leg at
Barcelona.
Wenger will be without a
number of key players in the
Nou Camp as the Gunners
look to defend a 2-1 first-
leg victory.
But of his captain, who has
missed three games with a
hamstring injury and faces a
final fitness test on Monday,
he said: "It is 90% he will be
fit.
"His return is vital, he is
important [linking] attack and
defence."
In Fabregas' absence,
Arsenal were held to a
goalless draw at home by
Sunderland on Saturday as
they looked to put pressure
on Premier League leaders
Manchester United.
But while Wenger should be
able to call on a player he
referred to as "the leader of
the team" for the first time
since he went off injured
against Stoke on 23
February, he faces a number
of other selection headaches.
We do not have enough
security to sit back and
defend. You can't go to
Barcelona, play for a
0-0 and not try to score
Arsene Wenger
Jack Wilshere has declared
himself fit,
despite picking up a knock
on an ankle knock at the
weekend but his midfield
partner Alex Song is set to
miss out with a knee injury.
Wenger also has to do
without winger Theo Walcott
and striker Robin van
Persie, who scored Arsenal's
equaliser in the first leg.
Wenger confirmed: "Alex
Song is completely out. He
had a test on Sunday
morning and it was negative.
Wilshere will be fit.
"Everybody else who played
on Saturday should be
available."
Arsenal came up against an
inspired Lionel Messi at the
Nou Camp last season as the
Argentina forward scored all
four of his side's goals in a
4-1 win which gave
Barcelona a 6-3 aggregate
victory over the Gunners in
the Champions League
quarter-final.
To counter Messi, Wenger
could deploy a defensive
formation in Spain with
Nicklas Bendtner in front of a
five-man midfield.
But the Frenchman said his
side would not be able to
rest on their lead.
"We need some fresh legs
for the Nou Camp because
we will have to run a lot,"
Wenger explained.
"But we do not have enough
security to sit back and
defend. You can't go to
Barcelona, play for a 0-0
and not try to score.
"It is also not the personality
of this team.
"We will look to defend well
and attack well. We are not a
team that will refuse to
attack, we know that.
"The challenge will be to find
the right balance between
having a team who can
defend, as well as one that
has a good opportunity,
every time it has the ball, to
go forward."
Barcelona's Javier
Mascherano has warned his
team-mates not to Arsenal.
"They are not stupid. They
have an advantage and they
will try to protect that lead.
They will come to defend,"
said the former Liverpool
midfielder.
"We can't make the mistake
of thinking that, just because
they know how to play
attacking football, they don't
know how to defend.
"The problem is that when
they have the ball they will
try to play football - because
of the players and the coach
they have."
Barcelona will be unable to
field either of their first-
choice central defenders,
with captain Carles Puyol out
with a knee injury and and
Gerard Pique suspended.
Defensive midfielder Sergio
Busquets is likely to partner
Eric Abidal at centre-back for
the three-time European
champions but the loss of
Spain captain Puyol will be
felt keenly by the Catalan
outfit.
"His character makes him the
soul of this team," said full-
back Dani Alves.
"With the quality we have
we'll try to miss him a little
less. But his qualities make
him irreplaceable."
Meanwhile, Barcelona coach
Pep Guardiola has been
suffering his own injury
problems.
The 40-year-old coach has
a herniated disc in his back
and will take training with the
team on Monday before
spending the night in hospital
for treatment.
However, Guardiola is
expected to be on the
touchline on Tuesday.
Wenger has said Cesc
Fabregas is likely to be
fit for Tuesday's
Champions League
last-16 second leg at
Barcelona.
Wenger will be without a
number of key players in the
Nou Camp as the Gunners
look to defend a 2-1 first-
leg victory.
But of his captain, who has
missed three games with a
hamstring injury and faces a
final fitness test on Monday,
he said: "It is 90% he will be
fit.
"His return is vital, he is
important [linking] attack and
defence."
In Fabregas' absence,
Arsenal were held to a
goalless draw at home by
Sunderland on Saturday as
they looked to put pressure
on Premier League leaders
Manchester United.
But while Wenger should be
able to call on a player he
referred to as "the leader of
the team" for the first time
since he went off injured
against Stoke on 23
February, he faces a number
of other selection headaches.
We do not have enough
security to sit back and
defend. You can't go to
Barcelona, play for a
0-0 and not try to score
Arsene Wenger
Jack Wilshere has declared
himself fit,
despite picking up a knock
on an ankle knock at the
weekend but his midfield
partner Alex Song is set to
miss out with a knee injury.
Wenger also has to do
without winger Theo Walcott
and striker Robin van
Persie, who scored Arsenal's
equaliser in the first leg.
Wenger confirmed: "Alex
Song is completely out. He
had a test on Sunday
morning and it was negative.
Wilshere will be fit.
"Everybody else who played
on Saturday should be
available."
Arsenal came up against an
inspired Lionel Messi at the
Nou Camp last season as the
Argentina forward scored all
four of his side's goals in a
4-1 win which gave
Barcelona a 6-3 aggregate
victory over the Gunners in
the Champions League
quarter-final.
To counter Messi, Wenger
could deploy a defensive
formation in Spain with
Nicklas Bendtner in front of a
five-man midfield.
But the Frenchman said his
side would not be able to
rest on their lead.
"We need some fresh legs
for the Nou Camp because
we will have to run a lot,"
Wenger explained.
"But we do not have enough
security to sit back and
defend. You can't go to
Barcelona, play for a 0-0
and not try to score.
"It is also not the personality
of this team.
"We will look to defend well
and attack well. We are not a
team that will refuse to
attack, we know that.
"The challenge will be to find
the right balance between
having a team who can
defend, as well as one that
has a good opportunity,
every time it has the ball, to
go forward."
Barcelona's Javier
Mascherano has warned his
team-mates not to Arsenal.
"They are not stupid. They
have an advantage and they
will try to protect that lead.
They will come to defend,"
said the former Liverpool
midfielder.
"We can't make the mistake
of thinking that, just because
they know how to play
attacking football, they don't
know how to defend.
"The problem is that when
they have the ball they will
try to play football - because
of the players and the coach
they have."
Barcelona will be unable to
field either of their first-
choice central defenders,
with captain Carles Puyol out
with a knee injury and and
Gerard Pique suspended.
Defensive midfielder Sergio
Busquets is likely to partner
Eric Abidal at centre-back for
the three-time European
champions but the loss of
Spain captain Puyol will be
felt keenly by the Catalan
outfit.
"His character makes him the
soul of this team," said full-
back Dani Alves.
"With the quality we have
we'll try to miss him a little
less. But his qualities make
him irreplaceable."
Meanwhile, Barcelona coach
Pep Guardiola has been
suffering his own injury
problems.
The 40-year-old coach has
a herniated disc in his back
and will take training with the
team on Monday before
spending the night in hospital
for treatment.
However, Guardiola is
expected to be on the
touchline on Tuesday.
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