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Honestly, even if we lose to Barca, look at the state of North London. We are fighting for titles; Tottenham just sacked Thomas Frank and are sitting in 16th. The vibes at the Emirates are immaculate compared to down the road. We can enjoy this tie as a heavyweight clash without the existential dread our neighbors are feeling. Let's just enjoy the football.

The recency bias with Lamine Yamal is insane. Yes, he's 18 and doing things Messi didn't do, but Bukayo Saka has been consistently world-class for six seasons now. Saka has 15 goals and 12 assists in the PL this season; he carries that Arsenal attack. Yamal is flashy, but Saka is efficiency personified. Next week is the definitive audition for 'Best Right Winger in the World'

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.