Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has praised the club’s Champions League opponents Barcelona, with the two teams scheduled to meet in six days’ time.
The Catlan giants knocked out the Gunners at the same stage in the competition last season, with a 6-3 aggregate win.
Diaby hopes the experience of last season will help Arsenal this time around, but is not expecting miracles against a side he believes to be on the very top of their game.
“We played them last season,” he said. “And we found them at their highest degree of effectiveness, both individually and collectively. This year will be the same, so we know what to expect. Barca are a great team, and this year they are very strong.”
Diaby highlighted Lionel Messi, who scored four goals against Arsenal at the Nou Camp last season, as the biggest threat, and the best player in the world at the moment.
He added: “Messi is the best in the world. We all know that the Argentine is a great player who can make the difference at any time, but we cannot focus only on him.”
Diaby admitted also that it is every player’s dream to play for one of the big clubs in Spain, and has risked the wrath of some Arsenal fans by saying he hopes to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid one day in his career.
“At some point I would like to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid,” he said. “But I would prefer to play for Barca, because I prefer their style.”
Dream on, Abou.
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