Arsenal are on a collision course with Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals with Micah Richards admitting they could both get hammered if they get their tactics wrong
Micah Richards is confident Arsenal "would absolutely batter" Barcelona if they got their tactics right - but could equally be on the receiving end of a hiding if they approach the game wrong.
The Gunners kept alive their Champions League hopes during the week, which could yet form part of an unprecedented quadruple. They beat Bayer Leverkusen and will face Sporting Lisbon in the last eight, whom they will be heavy favourites to beat.
Arsenal's biggest test will come in the semi-finals, where they will face either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid. The Catalans will be favourites to win that tie and showcased their attacking prowess as they smashed Newcastle 7-2 at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona do take risks defensively, which allowed Newcastle to twice equalise, but are irresistible going forward. Richards admits if they get things wrong at the back then the Premier League side will run riot.
He said on the Rest is Football: "If you’re looking at Arsenal’s potential route to the Champions League final you’d take that all day and then you’re thinking you’ve got that little buffer in the Premier League, I’d be look at the League Cup thinking it’s a trophy but it’s not the biggest trophy. If they were to lose that, I wouldn’t be losing sleep over it because they are in a perfect position now to win two humungous trophies.
"Arsenal would beat Barcelona. If Barcelona play that high line then Arsenal would absolutely batter them. If they take it back five yards, Barcelona could absolutely batter Arsenal.
"Martinelli, 100 per cent, would absolutely love to play against that without doubt. Even Gyokeres, he’s not the quickest but he’s a strong runner, all his goals before at Sporting, that’s what he used to do, so I think if they play a high line against Arsenal, Arsenal would absolutely batter them."
Barcelona beat Arsenal in their only ever Champions League appearance, that coming back in 2006 at the Stade de France. Since then the Catalans have downed the Gunners in the knockouts on three occasions. Mikel Arteta's side though remain favourites to conquer Europe this term.
Arsena have won nine of their ten games in Europe this term, but could face a Barcelona side desperate go improve on last year's semi-final exit. They need to first get past Atletico, who got the better of Tottenham and have already beaten their La Liga rivals this season.