Arsenal takes on Barca

LONDON: The plot will be about reunions and revenge when Barcelona starts the next step towards its Champions League defence at Arsenal in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The first leg will pit Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas against the club that nurtured him as well as former Barcelona youth team friend Lionel Messi, while Thierry Henry should finally come up against the Gunners three years after departing.

Henry was in the Arsenal side that lost to Barcelona in the 2006 final — a 2—1 defeat which manager Arsene Wenger still harbours grievances about because goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off.

“This time I'm sure it will be different,” Wenger said. “It's very frustrating for a manager not to win the title, but on the night we turned up with a decent performance and that's all you can do.”

Arsenal will have much to fear from Messi if the Argentinean reproduces the recent devastating form that has helped Barcelona — in coach Pep Guardiola's words — “steamroller” opponents.

“Leo is very special,” said Henry, whose side will be without injured midfielder Andres Iniesta.

Messi missed the 2006 final through injury, denying him a chance to play against his former junior teammate Fabregas, who had been lured from the Barcelona youth team three years earlier at 16.