Barcelona coach Luis Enrique appears to be just as excited as most soccer fanatics in regards to the matchup between his staff and Arsenal in the Champions League.
Forward of the primary leg of their round-of-16 tie at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Luis Enrique mentioned spectators will have to be in for a deal with when the two teams recognized for possession-based attacking soccer square off.
"I believe on paper this is one of the most appealing and entertaining video games of football you will find, should you like that style of football," Luis Enrique mentioned at a information convention on Monday. "however soccer can at all times be a shock. I think day after today we will be able to watch a rather good sport, on account that we each wish to dominate."
prior on Monday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger mentioned Barcelona are the "super favourites" within the tie, a declare that was disregarded through each Luis Enrique and midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
Luis Enrique hopes to get the satisfactory out of his famous person forwards.
"He can have his possess opinion most likely," Luis Enrique stated about Wenger. "we're the present Champions League champions and i believe it is logical that we are tagged favourites against Arsenal. But being favourites means surely nothing. We have got to prove our characteristics in recreation after recreation. And taking part in away from dwelling may be very tricky."
Rakitic stated Barcelona are coming into the game stuffed with self belief after going eight facets clear in the Spanish league and with the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in irrepressible kind. However even as Barcelona are on course to repeat their treble from last season and Arsenal haven't been prior the last sixteen of the Champions League considering that 2010, the Croatian stated the North London team have to nonetheless be revered.
"final 12 months we had an nice run and we won a lot of trophies, and it can be obvious that if you are the present winner of the Champions League you're the favourites. But Arsenal have numerous historical past too," Rakitic said. "it is tricky to talk about favourites. Arsenal have a lot of traits too."
That entails Petr Cech, the former Chelsea goalkeeper who has plenty of expertise enjoying towards Barcelona. Cech helped Chelsea eliminate the Catalan club within the 2012 semifinals and has faced Messi in six video games with out the Argentina megastar scoring a single intention.
"i am hoping that we are able to change it the next day to come," Rakitic mentioned of Cech's record in opposition to Messi. "Of course it's some of the first-class goalkeepers no longer handiest now but within the history of soccer. So of course we've quite a lot of respect for Petr Cech. However even though Lionel would not rating against him i am hoping other avid gamers can ranking."
And retaining the entire Messi-Neymar-Suarez trident scoreless appears almost inconceivable at the moment. The trio has combined for 91 ambitions already this season. Asked how he manages to get the exceptional out of his megastar forwards, Luis Enrique had a easy reply: "I tell them 'Abracadabra' and the magic sparks. That is all I do," he joked.
"To be honest it is fairly simple, in some situations of the sport you don't even ought to want what you want them to do on the grounds that they already to do it," he delivered.


