Arsenal v Barcelona Betting Preview

Arsenal host Barcelona this Wednesday evening in a repeat of last season’s enthralling Champions League quarter-final.

Shared ideals and standards make Arsenal and Barcelona the two most exciting teams in world football. Their passing brand of football is rarely compromised and their performances in recent seasons have made them the teams that everyone wants to watch and the opposition that opposing managers fear.

However, while Arsene Wenger has now gone six seasons without delivering a trophy that the Gunners’ style of play perhaps deserves, the Catalan giants’ trophy cabinet is bulging.

Certain to go down as one of the greatest teams in the history of the game Barcelona remain the blueprint for what all others aspire to.

Having devastated Arsenal with a 6-3 aggregate win when the pair last crossed paths just less than 12 months ago, it is no surprise to see Barca go into this one as strong 1/4 favourites to qualify for the next round.

However, given that Arsenal have home advantage in the first leg, it may be a little surprising to some to see the Spanish champions as short as 10/11 to take a lead into the second leg.

Arsenal have won their last five home games whilst conceding just two goals while Barcelona’s away from in the Champions League has been far from assured. The bookmakers quote odds of around 3/1 on the Premier League outfit winning with 11/4 available on the draw.

Lionel Messi scored four in the Camp Nou the last time he faced Arsenal and no doubt many punters will be keen to back him again here. He is 7/2 to open the scoring and 4/5 to score at anytime in the game.

But perhaps the greater value lies in backing another player who is in scintillating form. Robin van Persie took his Premier League tally for the season up to 10 with a brace against Wolves at the weekend and the Dutchman can be backed at 7/1 to get the first of the game and 2/1 to score at anytime.

Wenger has often cited Barcelona’s success as a justification for his reluctance to ask his side to adopt a more pragmatic style of play. This week they will need to step out of their shadow and prove that they can emulate the results of Pep Guardiola’s side.