Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that Barcelona “are not far” from perfection ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg.
Arsenal welcome Barca to the Emirates Stadium for the opening game of their first knockout tie, aware they came out on top 2-1 in their previous meeting in North London, but Wenger concedes his side will need to take their chances due to the strength of their opponents.
“No team is perfect, but Barcelona are not far from it,” he said at a Press conference, UEFA.com reports.
“We need to take our chances. We will have less of the ball than against Hull, but we have to make the most of it.
“They have top strikers. Maybe they look like they are having a little bit less possession at the moment because they used to have Xavi [Hernandez] in midfield.
“They have a team that can score at any moment. Even when they are being dominated they are still very dangerous.
“They did that in the final last year against Juventus when it was 1-1. They were suffering but they took their chances when they arrived.
“I knew Luis Enrique as a player. He scored against us at Wembley in the Champions League.
“He has done a remarkable job because he arrived with scepticism around him and won the treble in his first year.
“I remember we played the Champions League final against Barcelona in 2006 and Messi was injured for that game.
“It’s remarkable that was ten years ago and what he has achieved in that time.”
