Lionel Messi believes Arsenal's attacking style will backfire

Updated on: 08 March,2011 10:16 AM IST |
Agencies |

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi claims that Arsenal's propensity to play open, attacking football will be the reason for their demise at the Camp Nou tonight

Barcelona forwardu00a0Lionel Messi claims that Arsenal's propensity to play open, attacking football will be the reason for their demise at the Camp Nou tonight.

The Spanish champions suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Gunners at the Emirates in the first leg of their last-16 tie in the Champions League last month, and will aim to overhaul that deficit this week in Catalunya where the two sides confront each other once again.

"We remain confident of progressing," said the 23-year-old, according to Mirrorfootball.co.uk.

"Obviously we were bitterly disappointed to lose the first leg at the Emirates and felt we created more than enough chances to win the game.

"But it will be a different story in Spain.

"I'm not sure Arsenal are a side who can play to defend ufffd and that will leave them very open."

A 1-0 win will be enough for Barca to progress to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule but Messi says that it is not what they plan to do.

In the other Champions League clash of the night AS Roma face Shakhtar Donetsk. Roma trail Shakhtar 2-3 from the first leg in Rome.

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