IT FEELS like a genuinely big night of European football with three former Champions League winners and both of last year’s finalist in action.
In Turin, reigning Serie A champions Juventus host Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich while Emirates Stadium welcome the greatest team on the planet right now — Barcelona.
We’ll be focused on proceeding in north London, where Arsenal will be aiming to end Barca’s 32-game unbeaten run.
We’re a half hour away from kick-off.
Here are the teams:
ARSENAL: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud.
BARCELONA: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar.
The Gunners have gone out of the competition at this stage in every one of the past five seasons…
Just the 91 goals between Barcelona’s MSN this season, although Lionel Messi has yet to score against Petr Cech in six meetings. So that’s something!
None other than Ireland manager Martin O’Neill is alongside Tommy Martin and Graeme Souness on TV3 tonight.
The Derryman has just called Messi “the greatest player ever”.
Here come the teams…
So, give us your thoughts. Do Arsenal have any chance of making the quarter-finals?
Poll Results:
Ramsey puts a good tackle in on Neymar but the referee signals a free-kick. It’s taken short and Messi whips the ball to the back post. The linesman’s flag goes up for offside, however.
The first yellow card of the night and it’s for Nacho Monreal. The Spaniard makes a clumsy tackle on Ivan Rakitic and picks up a booking for his troubles. He’ll have to be careful for the remainder of this one.
Half chance for Arsenal! Ramsey kills a long ball brilliantly and backheels to Ozil. The German returns the pass but plays it behind his team-mate.
LET-OFF FOR BARCA – Arsenal break in numbers with Ozil and the ball eventually makes it way to Oxlade-Chamberlain but he shoots straight at Ter Stegen.
Barcelona have come into the game in the last few minutes and, as you would expect, they’re dominating possession now.
Arsenal are just about keeping them at bay so far but for how long?
Luis Enrique sporting a rather unusual look tonight.
The Arsenal fans aren’t happy with the referee, who appears to have let a few things go before giving Barcelona a free-kick for Coquelin’s foul on Messi.
Free-kick in a dangerous area for Barcelona. Messi nutmegs Koscielny and is brought down. They have a set-piece 20 yards out from goal.
Messi attempts to do a Coutinho and roll the ball under the legs of the Arsenal players but it doesn’t come off.
Arsenal immediately set off on a counter attack through Oxlade-Chamberlain. He has players in the centre but overruns the ball and allows Mascherano to come across and clear.
The Argentine international is caught in the process and both players go down for a few moments.
Messi shoots from the edge of the box but it’s deflected off-target. He’s been quiet by his standards so far.
Neymar, Messi and Suarez all involved in an attack but it doesn’t quite come off.
One minute of added time to play.
Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona
One the stroke of half-time, Suarez is just wide with a glancing header but the sides go into at the break scoreless.
RESTART – Second half, here we go.
Fine save from Cech! Iniesta threads through Neymar and he opts to shoot early but the Arsenal keeper is up to the task.
SUBSTITUTION – The first of the night. It’s Theo Walcott on for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has an injury.
GREAT SAVE! Ter Stegen keeps out Giroud’s header excellently after Ozil’s pinpoint cross.
Chances at both ends! Snapshot from Sanchez is blocked by a crowd of Barcelona bodies, then Mertesacker gets in the way of a Messi effort before Suarez fizzes the ball across the goal line.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Barcelona (Lionel Messi)
The deadlock has been broken. An Arsenal attack is turned on its head as Neymar plays a one-two with Suarez before picking out the unmarked Messi in the centre. He’s never going to miss from there.
https://streamable.com/qhrt
Welbeck, who has come on in the last few minutes, nods the ball down to Ramsey and the Welshman stretches to make contact. Ter Stegen gets his body in the way to keep hold of his cleen sheet.
POST! Barca should have doubled their advantage there. Neymar’s shot is blocked then Suarez strikes the upright.
PENALTY TO BARCELONA… Flamini, only on for Coquelin, fouls Messi.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona (Lionel Messi)
Messi sends Cech the wrong way and that’s his second of the night.
https://streamable.com/s3wy
YELLOW CARD – Pique chops down Welbeck and he’ll miss the second leg through suspension.
Full-time: Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona
So Barca take a two-goal lead back to the Camp Nou and Arsenal are surely on their way out at the round of 16 once again.
In the other game, Juventus scored twice in the second half to clinch a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich.
