All Hell Breaks Loose As Arsenal Face Barcelona in The Champions League

Out of all the scenarios possible, out of all the possible draws people wanted to see, the Gunners and the Catalans are facing the team that they both wanted to avoid.

Each other.

In what might be the worst draw possible for Arsenal FC, the Gunners are facing Barcelona in the quarterfinal in the Champions League.

This looks bad in more ways than one.

First off, Barcelona beat Arsenal in the CL final in 2006, courtesy of two freak goals against a helpless Almunia. The Gunners were ahead for the majority of the game, but with 10 men could not hold on until the end.

Referees worldwide state that the match official that day should've allowed the goal for Barcelona and let the game move on, seeing how it was a CL final, and even Wenger bemoaned that decision himself at the time.

This time around, when Arsenal gets to the Nou Camp, Fabregas will face his former team, and the Barca officials and candidates, as well as the media will go with their usual "Fabregas has signed a five-year deal while he was in Spain" pathetic talk.

Thierry Henry will also make his return against Arsenal in the Emirates. Despite all the talk about how it will be an emotional return, I'm pretty sure all the Gunners want him to go down. Hard.

Arsenal will face the winner of the Inter-CSKA Moscow game, and Manchester United have it easy, playing against Bayern, and then facing whoever wins in the French derby.

Manchester United and Inter fans are probably laughing it all off, as two of the main candidates in the CL are gonna try and eliminate each other.

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I've had the chance to watch the draw live, and from the moment it began, it was bad news all over.

Lyon were seeded against Bordeaux, meaning that two of the weaker teams in the contest were going to face each other and avoid the other teams for now.

Then Bayern Munich were seeded against Manchester United, a rematch of the 1999 CL final. Manchester United will fancy their chances.

Next, Arsenal were seeded against none other than the European Champions, and it was easy to tell that Inter were going to face CSKA Moscow.

Arsenal can't complain, they were never the luckiest in the bunch anyways.

It was a long time coming, and while Manchester United are gonna have it a little easier, Arsenal will be knocking on hell's doors, wondering who will answer the call.

That's not to say that Barcelona aren't pissed off by the match as well—they wanted to avoid Arsenal out of all the other teams.

Barcelona can handle Inter with ease. The all-defensive game Inter play will be easy to break, seeing how Inter played with fear against Barcelona early on in the campaign, and how they played against United last year.

Barcelona can also play against Manchester United this season with more ease, seeing how they beat them in their prime, and the Ferguson tactics aren't a problem to Barcelona, as shown last year.

But to play against an all-attacking team is something Barcelona did not experience often.

Just like Chelsea played an Inter side with similar football, Barcelona will face an Arsenal side with similar football, although this team is made out of talent more than it is made out of money.

The neutrals have wanted this game for a long long time, and with this game on, one of the main candidates to win the tournament is already eliminated.

Barcelona are undoubtedly the favorites, but Arsenal aren't going to play with fear like Bayern or Inter, the Gunners aren't going down without a fight.

After all, that's not what Wenger ball is about. But, with the defensive injuries that Arsenal have succumbed to, Arsenal's weakness is defence. If that is fixed I believe the Gunners have what it takes to shock the whole world, and prove their worth to everyone.

After all, to be the best, you need to beat the best.

Man U are almost guaranteed to be in the final, Bayern aren't killers, and they're guaranteed to play against, one of the French teams.

Arsenal are most likely to play against Inter, should they beat the current Champions, and then probably face Man U, if both teams get that far.

If that happens, it would be an all-English final, and between two of the worst of rivals in football.

If they do, Platini will curse his lucky stars, seeing how people are already saying that the French teams playing each other was planned, so that a team from France would reach the semi finals, and have a chance of increasing the number of French teams in the Champions League.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves; it was always gonna be David vs. Goliath.

Yet, amidst all this madness, I can truly stress that Arsenal are in the hunt for the CL trophy, but it won't be easy.

Arsenal are going with their most valuable striker out. Gallas might be out as well and Fabregas' mentality is gonna be very interesting at the Nou camp.

Like always, Arsenal are one step away from a disaster, and with the possibility that more players might be injured (with Arsenal, it's more of a fact, mind you), it could get a whole lot worse for the Red and White army.

Then again, Arsenal were anything but normal, they were anything but traditional either.

They do it the Arsenal way, that's what all people say, and that's what Arsenal intend to do—going all out for it, and knowing Arsene Wenger, he will still want to go for the gold, no matter what the cost.

Barcelona are still favorites, and by a long shot as well. That's the fact that Arsenal fans need to understand fully well, but they should still keep the faith, this is far from over.

Perhaps the outcome of the home leg is gonna be key. Arsenal will not rest in anyway for they know that this is the chance they have been waiting for.

The only team that can stop a "Barcelona—Manchester United" final again is Arsenal; Inter aren't strong enough for them.

At the very least, the only team that can stop Barcelona from reaching the final again is Arsenal.

This could be redemption in more ways than one.

You beat Barcelona and Fabregas can finally see for himself, from the best seat in the house, that Arsenal are no less than the champions of Europe.

It also kills off Barca's chances of being the first team to retain the title, and would help Wenger sleep better at night, after the infamous 2006 final in Paris.

But really, Arsenal aren't even looking for that, not even thinking about it.

All Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal team want is very simple.

Go the distance.