Immediately after the draws for the Quarters were made last Friday, my mind went numb with the thought of seeing my favourite club & my favourite footballer (Read: TH14), go head-to-head. Either way I’d be happy. Either way I’d be sad. More happy if Arsenal went through. More sad, if they didn’t, to make my loyalties clear!

First thought that struck me was the homecoming of both Henry & Fabregas. Whilst Titi is the ‘Greatest Gunner’ of all times, Cesc is the very symbol of the revolutionary land of Cataluña. While Thierry Henry took time, 8 seasons precisely, to shatter every foreseeable record in the English top-flight, as a player (individual honours ie) and as a Gunner; Cesc Fabregas raised through the ranks at the famed Cantera, alongside fellow heavyweights Messi, Pique et al and is today arguably the most gifted playmaker around. Different nationalities, different abilities, different persona, but what unites them is similar godliness. They are both legends in their own right and this is where the various sub-plots surrounding this intriguing fixture, just begin to unveil themselves.

I did a poll at 11Gunners the very day the draws were made (it’s been 10 days now), enquiring as to which of the possible ‘man-to-man’ duels might end up deciding the tie over two legs. The results are fascinating to say the least. Albeit predictable, I’m pretty darn sure, they are conclusive in nature. Let’s have a look, shall we:

1. Thierry Henry vs Sol Campbell (The ‘Invincibles’ Return)

Who would have thought big ‘ol Sol would be even featuring in this game of enormous proportions. Lying defunct way down the English hierarchy, at Notts County only about six months back, he has made a stellar come-back to silence critics with a second stint at Arsenal Wenger defied old practices & re-signed a player for the very first time, with his team in dire needs of defensive cover and boy has he provided that or what!? As Gallas looks unlikely to feature in the first leg, onus will be on Sol to take care of an old friend, one certain Thierry Henry.

Thierry Henry

‘Invincibles’ when together, how they fare against each other will indeed be a sight to behold. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that both will be at par facing each other. Henry, having lost his old bazooka pace over the years, will be countered by Campbell, at the wrong side of thirties himself.

My gut instinct says this duel to remain a stalemate over the two legs; as both the players will be sparingly used when better options are available in Pedro & Gallas. But then, this was more about ‘nostalgia’, right!?

2. Cesc Fabregas vs Xavi Hernandez (Midfield Maestros)

The ‘master & the apprentice’, at each other for the very first time ever. It is widely believed that the day Xavi hangs his boots at Camp Nou, ‘lil Cesc will be called upon to take over. Even die-hard Gooners buy this idea. But for now, Cesc’s priorities lie very much @N5 and he has reiterated times over his allegiance for the team in ‘Red & White’. Presence of both Xavi & Iniesta meant Fabregas would have found it very difficult to break into the Barca first team and for a talent as prodigious as his, it would have been a shame if that were to happen.

Arsenal came calling and the rest as they say, is history. Although we have seen them playing together for the Spanish team, watching them go ‘head-to-head’ is something experienced only in the realms of fantasy football thus far! Xavi is known for his surgeon like precision when it comes to threading those slide-rule’s for the likes of Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry to pounce onto; goal-scoring wise, he keeps rather mum.

Over the due of course of this season, under the newly-bred ‘4-3-3’ formation courtesy Le’ Professor, Cesc has blossomed into a full-blown attacking midfielder. Someone who has the stamina to start off moves, the vision to create goals for teammates & most importantly, the instinct to finish off moves oft started by himself. 18 goals and an equal number of assists, prove exactly why this ex-Barcelona man, is a worry for the opposition.

Fitness permitting, I expect Cesc to score one over his illustrious master, just like he got the better of ‘the’ Patrick Vieira few seasons back. And, he was only 18 then!

3. Lionel Messi vs Gael Clichy (The ‘Flank’ Burners)

Best left-footed player on the planet. Best attacking player on the planet. Hell, the best player on the planet! Maradona-esque, the ‘Messiah’ himself.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, takes sometime introducing him alright! What words describe a man who scored back-to-back hat-tricks last week and on a lighter note, is the reigning ‘Ballon d’or’ as well as ‘Fifa World Player of the Year’. Forget tap-in’s, most goals he scores are worthy of a ‘goal-of-the-week/month/season’ piece. But I’m supposed to back the young French left-back here, right!? Gael Clichy will have to come with the best showing of his lifetime against the Argentine who is also 22, but the sad part being, even that might not be enough to STOP the legend of Lionel Messi in full flight.

The difference between ‘Arsenal giving Barcelona a fight’ & ‘Arsenal getting whupped by the current cup-holders’, as possible headlines Thursday morning, will depend on how this clash fares up.

I have a nauseating feeling the legend will overwhelm the left-back.

4. Andrey Arshavin vs Carlos Puyol (Russian Assassin feat. Spanish Armada)

5 goals in two outings at Anfield. An absolute dapper of a goal at Old Trafford and several other goals which count, mark the Russian as a ‘man for the big occasion’. Most notably his trio of assists which helped Arsenal shrug past Porto in the last round, exemplify his mood to deliver when the stakes are highest.

Puyol, on the retrospect, is a cult figure for the Catalans. Like 7-9 first teamer’s they have, he too is a ‘home-grown myth’ of sorts. There is no doubting his commitment to the cause and his ‘never-say-never’ attitude as he leads the ‘sextuple’ winners on the pitch every single time. But his undoing lies when it comes to staying firm over the 90+stoppage time. Oft prone to gaffes, his bludgeoning presence coupled with his teams astronomical scoring rate, covers his & his custodian’s (Read: Victor Valdes) goof-up’s more times than not.

If Arshavin can conjure a performance fitting the occasion, expect him to take the mickey outta Puyol. Go Arshavin.

5. Arsene Wenger vs Pep Guardiola (Similar Ideologies, Different Traditions)

All said and done, it will ultimately boil down to the respective managers of arguably the two most decorated clubs in Europe, to inspire there teams to glory. Due acknowledgment to other suitors, but bite my a*se if anyone here thinks there exists a football club which ornates ‘the beautiful game’ more beautifully than the pairing of Arsenal & Barcelona (phew, that went a bit too long!).

Pep Guardiola, Barcelona

Arsene’al Wenger epitomizes the very spirit of the club from North London, given the influence he has had on the Gunners over the past 14 years. Guardiola, on the other hand, is a winner no less. He is of the ‘been-there, done-that’ types having first-hand experience of success he now preaches at Camp Nou, to the who’s who of world football.

Both connoisseurs of ‘one-touch’ and technically very sublime, brand of football; only a fool would suggest them going for defensive measures. Instead, this can turn out to be one of the most open Q/F’s of all times, & as Wenger noted, the ‘game of the decade’, if played to full potential. Both are brilliant managers and people who know their trade to perfection. I’d go for a stalemate here as well.

Any Other

There’s always a ‘Ibra vs Vermaelen’, ‘Yaya/Keita vs Diaby’, ‘Nasri vs Maxwell’, ‘Pique vs Bendtner’, or a ‘Valdes vs Almunia’ duel to consider, but let’s hope the aforementioned don’t have a major role to play. We want the Henry’s, the Messi’s, the Fabregas’s and the Arshavin’s of this world to shine, don’t we?

The Results

1. Cesc Fabregas vs Xavi Hernandez: 34%
2. Lionel Messi vs Gael Clichy: 30%
3. Arsene Wenger vs Pep Guardiola: 15%
4. Andrey Arshavin vs Carlos Puyol: 11%
5. Thierry Henry vs Sol Campbell: 9%

Points To Consider

- Although close, but viewer sentiments place the duel between ‘Cesc & Xavi’ at the pedestal. It further strengthens the fact that it will be midfield artistry that shall decide the outcome of this fixture.

- ‘Messi vs Clichy’ is marginally second as things stand, but I beg to differ on this one. Initial voting suggested this to be a runaway winner, before petty (Read: bloody!) emotions took over.

- Again rightfully so, ‘Wenger vs Guardiola’ deserves a higher placing, as this game will be fought as much on the field, as off it. With players of excellent technical capabilities on either side, there’d be not much to choose between the two teams, but the way they line-up against each other. Everyone knows who has a final say over that, aye!?

- ‘Arshavin vs Puyol’ coming 4th? I’m not surprised at this, at all. Reasons could be the Russian’s ‘hit-and-miss’ form off-late, as well as, like I said before, the negligible impact Puyol has on the eventual outcome of any Barcelona victory. Stats prove that, for every goal Barcelona concede, they have a firing line waiting to score 3 in return. Holy cow!

- And the ‘oldie-goldies’ finish rock-bottom mainly due to their being old, hah! Sorry, it’s because they won’t be playing the entire 180, & for the time they’ll be donning the jersey, ‘nostalgia’ & ‘nostalgia’ alone, shall take precedence.

For Arsenal to be crowned champions of Europe’s elitist tourney, they will have to, in all probability, overcome the reigning Spanish champion’s, the reigning Italian champion’s (Read: Inter) & above all, the reigning English champion’s (Read: Manchester United).

I read back in school, that ‘a journey of thousand miles, begins with a single step’. It’s now time for Arsenal to step-up & begin its quest for glory. We have previously out-witted the might of Juventus, Real Madrid and AC Milan as well, haven’t we!? Time for an encore then.

Go Gunners, make us proud.