Arsenal to cause upset against Barcelona
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Arsene Wenger said he has seen a few weaknesses in Barcelona which Arsenal can "exploit" when the Gunners look to cause an upset and keep their Champions League dream alive in the Nou Camp on Tuesday night, the Press Association said.
Arsenal battled to a 1-0 victory over 10-man Wolves at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, where a stoppage-time winner from Nicklas Bendtner finally ended the visitors' brave resistance.
Wenger praised the way his team - which included seven changes from the first leg - had dug deep to record a vital victory in the Barclays Premier League title race after what had been a draining European tie midweek.
Arsenal head to Spain with a chance of progressing to the semi-finals after fighting back from 2-0 down when Barcelona had dominated for the first part of the match, leaving the Gunners ball-watching for large spells.
Wenger insists he has seen enough to believe Arsenal - without former Barcelona trainee Cesc Fabregas, who suffered a crack to his leg bone when winning and scoring the penalty which levelled the tie - can get the result needed.
"We created chances, even in the first half when we were dominated," said the Arsenal boss.
"We have not only to defend against them, but use the ball better than we did in the first half - there are some ideas we have to exploit."
Arsenal will check on the fitness of midfielder Alex Song (groin) and also whether veteran centre-back Sol Campbell can handle another big game with such a short recovery time.
Bendtner came off the bench against Wolves, and is expected to be restored to the starting XI.
The big Dane - who netted a hat-trick in the last round against Porto - insists Arsenal are a side who never know when they are beaten.
"The belief and character we have showed in all the games is why got so many goals in the late stages," he said.
"We kept creating chance after chance and got what we deserved in the end, which was a victory.
"The most important thing was the three points and to then think about Barcelona."
Bendtner accepts Arsenal cannot give Barcelona as much space as they were afforded at Emirates Stadium and must look to capitalise on the absence of regular central-defensive pairing Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, who are both suspended for the second leg.
"Barcelona are a great passing team. We have to try to get a little tighter to them and not give them so much time to play," he said.
"For any team to be without their two central defenders, the two players who play week-in week-out, you know they are people they built the team around and it is not good for them - it is good for us.
"It is going to be a hard game, but we think we can do it - this is a trophy we want to win and to win the Champions League you have to beat the best teams."
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