Arselona!!!

After Joe Jordan was head butted into the headlines at the San Siro it would require something special to steal Tottenham’s thunder. Sadly for them, a tie between the world’s two most attractive football teams was scheduled for the next day.

As Pep Guardiola’s all conquering Barcelona prepared for their visit to the Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal the talk was of last year’s quarter-final clash in which the Catalan club, led by Lionel Messi had routed their English counterparts. Had the Londoners learned their lesson?

Initially it seemed like they might have. The first ten minutes saw a vibrant and energetic Arsenal hurrying and harrying all over the pitch. The pressure told as Cesc Fabregas scooped a delightful pass over Barca’s defence for Robin Van Persie. In the midst of a great goalscoring run, the Dutchman immediately volleyed towards goal only to be thwarted by the onrushing Victor Valdes.

Then, from nothing Barcelona carved open the home team. Wriggling through the home defence and collecting a pass from David Villa, Messi drew the keeper expertly and dinked the ball over him. Amazingly, the ball failed to nestle in the corner. Instead it span wide of the post and Sczcesny breathed a sigh of relief.

Rather than spurring Arsenal on, however, the realisation that Barcelona could waltz through their defence so easily appeared to daunt the Gunners. The Spaniards grew in confidence and began to construct their intricate passing triangles, regularly shuttled the ball out to the gallivanting Dani Alves and began to swarm all over the Arsenal back four. With Barcelona believing the ball to be their own personal property it was vital that Arsenal seized any opportunities presented to them. Unfortunately two extremely presentable opportunities went begging.

Two lightning breaks instigated by the young Englishmen Walcott and Wilshere resulted in a shooting opportunity for Van Persie – who slapped his shot wide – and Fabregas, who crossed when he ought to have shot and saw the chance go begging. Worse than the wasted opportunities was the fact that they were sandwiched around a Barcelona goal.

With Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets probing and teasing the Arsenal defenders the ball was popped into Lionel Messi’s feet. He pushed a pass through a gap which ought to have been closed down and with the dozing Gael Clichy playing him onside Villa sprinted clear to prod the ball under the advancing keeper.

Despite some fantastic possession Barcelona failed to add to their tally, although a contentious offside decision denied Messi after a Pedro shot looped into his path. And they might feel further aggrieved not to have had a numerical advantage at the break after Alex Song’s early booking was followed by a catalogue of niggly fouls which might well have seen him dismissed by a less lenient official.

Buoyed at having escaped with only a one goal deficit, Arsenal started the second half as the better team. Both Nasri and Walcott made menacing forays into enemy territory but failed to find dangerous balls into the box. Gerard Pique picked up a booking which means he’ll miss the second leg and from the resulting free-kick Van Persie spurned a great chance to fire the ball goalwards.

Eventually Barcelona began to reassert their authority. Messi rippled the outside of the net with a left-footed shot and Arsenal responded by removing Song before he fell off the disciplinary tightrope. Rather than a defensive player, however, they brought on Arshavin and tucked Nasri further infield. It was a bold ploy coming immediately after Messi had skipped through a gap in which a screening midfielder might usually sit. And it worked.

With Guardiola’s side failing to come to terms with the tactical changes, Clichy made amends for his first half error by chipping a delicious ball into the Barca penalty area. Robin Van Persie unleashed a left footed rocket from an unlikely angle and - having anticipated a cross - Valdes watched aghast as the striker’s shot arrowed through the tightest of gaps and into the net.

Suddenly Barcelona were rocking and they game was increasingly stretched. A quick break from Arsenal saw Nasri scampering into Barca’s box. For a second he looked isolated, but he lifted his head and picked out a late surge from Arshavin. The Russian didn’t break stride as he curled a cracker into the bottom corner.

With the away side reeling the home fans launched into a lusty rendition of ‘we’ve got Cesc Fabregas’ as the clock ticked down and a win which seemed extremely unlikely at half time became a reality when Messi failed to convert in injury time.

So the veteran Wenger outwitted his counterpart as his tactical tinkering wrested control of the game from the opposition. With an away goal and a trip to the Camp Nou on the horizon Barcelona remain the favourites. But Arsenal’s pace on the break and incisive finishing have proved that the Catalans are mortal after all. Roll on the second leg.