Champions League: Barcelona V Arsenal Form, Statistics & Head-to-Head

In the opening leg, over in England inside a stunning Emirates Stadium, Arsenal stunned the team widely recognised as the best on the planet, Barcelona, when coming from 1-0 down to clinch an all important first-leg victory courtesy of late strikes from Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin.

The general perception of the tie is that it’s now evenly poised, with Arsenal needing only to defend their 2-1 aggregate lead in order to progress into the next round of knock-outs. A task which is easier said than done when you’re up against a Barcelona side blessed with an array of world-class individuals who, more times than not, produce their very best football inside a packed out Camp Nou.

Had Arsenal not risen from the dead two weeks ago then the tie probably would have been dead and buried, but the bookies still believe the Gunners are in with a shout despite the formidable assignment presented to them. Barca, though, are still firm favourites to progress, with Unibet’s quote of 1.36 the best around. Arsenal do look rather tasty however at 3.25 with Bet365 to cling onto their slim aggregate advantage; after all, avoid defeat on Tuesday night and qualification will be assured.

To Qualify betting:

Barcelona – 1.38 Unibet
Arsenal – 3.25 Bet365

Match Odds:

Barcelona – 1.30 WilliamHill
Draw – 6.50 bWin
Arsenal – 10.00 Bet365

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Barcelona

Form & Statistics

Last 5 (all competitions)

SLL: Barcelona 1-0 Real Zaragoza
SLL: Valencia 0-1 Barcelona
SLL: Mallorca 0-3 Barcelona
SLL: Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
UCL: Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona

Last 5 home games

SLL: Barcelona 1-0 Real Zaragoza
SLL: Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
SLL: Barcelona 3-0 Atletico Madrid
CPL: Barcelona 5-0 Almeria
SLL: Barcelona 3-0 Racing Santander

2010/2011 Spanish La Liga Statistics

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 24-2-1 (Home: 12-1-1)
Goal Difference: 78-13 (Home: 37-8)
Top Scorer: Lionel Messi (27)

- The Catalans haven’t lost any match at the Camp Nou since they were humbled by Hercules on the opening day of the 2010/2011 La Liga season, back on September 11th.

- Barca are currently on an eight-match winning streak at the Camp Nou, unbeaten in their previous twenty.

- Furthermore, Pep Guardiola’s men have won their last seven Champions League encounters in Barcelona, to an aggregate score of 20-2.

- Defensively, there are few better than the Catalan giants, who have kept five clean sheets in their previous seven European matches at the Camp Nou, while they’ve only conceded one goal in the four games since they were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal in the first-leg, keeping a clean sheet in their previous three.

- Barcelona have won their last two matches by a 1-0 score-line; the same score-line would be enough to see them through on the away goals rule.

Possible Bets:

Barcelona to WIN to NIL – 2.38 PaddyPower
Barcelona 1-0 (Correct Score) – 10.00 SportingBet

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Head-to-Head

Barcelona wins: 3
Draws: 2
Arsenal wins:1

2010/2011: Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona

2009/2010: Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal
2009:2010: Arsenal 2-2 Barcelona

2005/2006: Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal

1999/2000: Arsenal 2-4 Barcelona
1999/2000: Barcelona 1-1 Arsenal

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Arsenal

Form & Statistics

Last 5 (all competitions)

EPL: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
FAC: Arsenal 5-0 Leyton Orient
ELC: Arsenal 1-2 Birmingham
EPL: Arsenal 1-0 Stoke
EPL: Leyton Orient 1-1 Arsenal

Last 5 away games

FAC: Leyton Orient 0-0 Arsenal
EPL: Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal
FAC: Leeds 1-3 Arsenal
EPL: West Ham 0-3 Arsenal
ELC: Ipswich 1-0 Arsenal

2010/011 English Premier League Statistics

League Position: 2nd
Win-Draw-Lose: 17-6-5 (Away: 7-4-2)
Goal Difference: 57-27 (Away: 27-15)
Top Scorer: Robin Van Persie (10)

- Arsenal have lost only one of their last fourteen games in all competitions, winning ten in that run.

- Arsene Wenger’s men have kept three clean sheets in their last four matches; a fourth in five on Tuesday night would be enough to clinch the tie.

- A routine 3-1 win over Partizan Belgradeearlier in the campaign is Arsenal’s solitary away win in their previous seven away Champions League encounters, losing five.

- However, the Gunners haven’t kept an away clean sheet in a Champions League game proper, so excluding qualifying matches, since beating AC Milan in the Last-16 of the 2007/2008 term – none in their last 15.