Arsenal do not need to man-mark Lionel Messi, insists manager Arsene Wenger. The Gunners face Messi’s Barcelona in this week’s Champions League quarterfinal first-leg.
“I have never tried to man-mark a player out of a game during my time at Arsenal,” he says. “It can work, but in exceptional teams you have two or three players you should man-mark and then you have to go to a system where you could create your own problems just by following somebody everywhere. I believe we will be playing an exceptional team, so it is up to us to turn up with an exceptional performance. I believe we can do that: if there is one team who can give Barcelona a problem, it is us.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is convinced they can silence Barcelona star Lionel Messi in this week’s Champions League clash. Though Arsenal are equally well-known for their stylish football, Bendtner believes the Gunners can hustle the Spanish sophisticates out of their stride.
“What counts in Arsenal’s favour is that we play in a different way to which Messi is accustomed in Spain,” the Danish striker declared. He will probably not get as much room to run with the ball, and the pace of games is faster in England. It will be an entirely different battle for him and Barcelona. So even though they may be slight favourites against us, I still expect it to be a balanced game. But Messi is the best player in the world right now. He has a fantastic eye for the game, he has pace and he has scored so many goals. He has quick feet, and it is impossible to get the ball off him. It is his overall qualities that count – for me he is the greatest.”
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