Arsene Wenger has demanded Arsenal learn the lessons of their past Champions League meltdowns when they host holders Barcelona in the last 16, first leg on Tuesday.
Wenger’s side have been eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition in the last 16 for the previous five years, with the last four of those failures coming after they were beaten in the first leg.
AS Monaco last season, Bayern Munich in the two years before that and also AC Milan have all taken advantage of Arsenal's defensive weaknesses and mental fragility in the knockout stages.
But Wenger is tired of watching his team come apart at the seams in the tournament he still yearns to win for the first time and has made a point of warning his players to show more composure when Barca arrive at the Emirates Stadium.
Read more: Arsenal can only hope to get lucky against top-of-the-world top dogs Barcelona
Also see: Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal prepare for giant Barcelona task – in pictures
“It’s a good opportunity to show we have learned because it is true we have given ourselves a difficult task after the first home leg and maybe after we have been a bit too keen to make the difference in the first game,” Wenger told reporters on Monday.
“We need to find the right balance between being audacious because that is what you will need to be against Barcelona.
“We need to be strong defensively as a unit and not put ourselves in front of a very difficult task in the second leg.”
While Wenger hopes his warning not to go for broke too soon will draw a measured and mature response from his side, the Arsenal manager knows the task facing them to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010 is a daunting one.
With Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez forming a formidable front three, Luis Enrique’s men are firm favourites to reach the last eight for a ninth consecutive season as they bid to retain the trophy.
Even Wenger, whose side were knocked out by the Spanish giants in 2011, acknowledged the superiority of Barcelona’s world-class squad, saying: “Obviously Barcelona are favourites.
“Of course, our world is not perfect and no team is perfect. But Barca are not far from it, I must say.”
Arsenal go into the tie after a disappointing goalless draw against Championship club Hull City in the FA Cup fifth round.
But Wenger will recall all his big guns after resting them on Saturday and he insisted the challenge of taking on a club of Barca’s class was in some ways easier than having to find a way to motivate his players against lower-league opposition.
“Honestly, of course the difficulty of the task is completely different but it is more difficult to prepare against Hull than Barcelona,” Wenger said.
“Against Barcelona everyone is naturally focused. It is more to create belief and confidence, because Barcelona are super favourites in this game.
“Against Hull it is more to raise the urgency level and convince everybody that it is a very difficult game.
“Tomorrow everyone is convinced that we absolutely need to have, as a squad, total focus to have a chance and that is what I try to raise. Belief, confidence and let’s go for it.”
Barcelona, chasing a sixth European Cup, swagger into London eight points clear at the top of La Liga after beating Las Palmas 2-1 to extend their club record unbeaten streak to 32 games in all competitions.
Messi, Neymar and Suarez have proved impossible to stop and Ivan Rakitic, the Barca midfielder tasked with getting the ball to his team’s deadly front three, admits he is in awe of their ability.
“We have to focus on what we do and we are really delighted to play with Messi, Suarez and Neymar,” he said.
“They are like children playing football and it would be like taking the ball away from them (to rest them).
“We must try to help them be better, those three players make us a different team.”
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OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
2.30pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Marmara Xm, Gary Sanchez (jockey), Abdelkhir Adam (trainer)
3pm: Al Yasmeen – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: AS Hajez, Jesus Rosales, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.30pm: Al Ferdous – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Soukainah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
4pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah – Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: AF Thayer, Ray Dawson, Ernst Oertel
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: George Villiers, Antonio Fresu, Bhupat Seemar
5pm: Palma Spring – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Es Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
