Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Laurent Koscielny is back to face Barcelona tonight after recovering from injury.
The 6ft1 Frenchman had been struggling with a calf problem, but is ready to take his place in the starting line-up at the Camp Nou, with Gabriel likely to drop to the bench and Calum Chambers being left out of the squad.
Arsenal face an arduous task to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the competition, with Barcelona carrying a 2-0 lead from the first leg.
The Catalans, who are on a 37-game unbeaten run in all competitions, are widely expected to prevail, particularly when it’s taken into consideration that the Gunners have struggled for consistency all season.
Arsenal have an average pass accuracy of 83% in the Champions League this campaign, but they’re unlikely to see much of the ball tonight.
There’s a negative feeling surrounding the club at the moment after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Watford at the weekend, while their Premier League title challenge continues to falter.
Arsenal have gone out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage in each of the last five seasons, with their lack of progress in Europe one of the key reasons why many fans are disappointed with Wenger.
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