
This tie won't be won by the wingers; it'll be won in the engine room. Arsenal's Rice-Odegaard-Merino trio has been solid, but they haven't faced a Pedri-Gavi-De Jong midfield playing this fluently in years. Since returning to the fully renovated Spotify Camp Nou, Barca's possession stats are back to 2011 levels. If Arteta tries to press high and leaves space behind White or Timber, Lamine Yamal will destroy them. Arsenal needs to play 'ugly' to survive the away leg.