UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Arsenal opens its doors of their training ground in London Colney ahead of their Champions League final against Barcelona

Record ID: 837882

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Arsenal opens its doors of their training ground in London Colney ahead of their Champions League final against Barcelona
  • Date: 12th May 2006
  • Summary: WIDE / TRACK: GOALKEEPER JENS LEHMANN KICK BALL UP
  • Embargoed: 27th May 2006 13:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAC2EQURJB7E5I6BM6777CJXZ74
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  • Story Text: Arsenal opened the doors of their well protected training ground in London Colney on Thursday (May 11) ahead of the Champions League final against Barcelona.
    Players were put through their paces in an intensive match practice held in on reduced size pitch under glorious sunshine.
    Manager Arsene Wenger knows the final on Wednesday (May 17) is the contest fans are dreaming about but he is keeping his feet on the ground as Arsenal chase to lift the European Cup for the first time in their history.
    "Well, first of all I think it is an interesting game - a confrontation of two similar styles of teams who have a good technical era, who are very mobile, play a quick game. So, it should be very interesting to watch. I feel it is a final everybody wanted to see and therefore of course we will try to be whatever everybody expect us to be. I am convinced we have a very, very good chance."
    Arsenal finished fourth in the English premier league to secure their place in next season's Champions League and it is intriguing that they exceeded expectations in Europe exactly when they have not fared well domestically.
    Barcelona have scored 22 goals in Europe while Arsenal have only 14 and Wenger seems happy to portray the Londoners are the underdogs.
    "Barcelona is favourite in this game, you know that but my favourite is my team."
    The match will mark the farewell of striker Dennis Bergkamp. The 37 year-old veteran who has been used only sporadically lately is seen as a legend and still has a lot to teach to his team-mates at Arsenal, including fellow Dutchman Robin Van Persie.
    For Thierry Henry, it would an emotional occasion to be back to the Stade de France, near the Parisian suburb of Les Ulis where he was born. The 29 year-old points out that Ronaldinho also returns to the city where he started his career at Paris Saint Germain.
    Henry thinks it would very special only if he comes back to England with the trophy in the 50th anniversary of the European Cup.
    "Yes, if you win it. I think that playing the Champions League is always something special anyway. The fact that is in France is great for me and for all the French. For Ronaldinho, it can also be special because he used to play in Paris (Saint Germain)."
    Into the last year of his contract, the French striker repeated he will decide his future before the World Cup. Barcelona is always mentioned as his next destination if does not stay to lead Arsenal into their new stadium next season.
    The club's captain gave his reasons why his team is rated as outsiders:
    "You guys like to say all these kind of things -- favourites or not favourites. So, if you are going for this kind of thing, I will say yes, Barcelona are the favourites. They won the (Spanish) league back-to-back, you know. Last year, they were unlucky to go out in the Champions League and the final this year. We are going to go there full of confidence but if you want there is a favourite, obviously it is going to be Barcelona."
    Until now, clubs from England, Spain and Italy have won Europe's top competition ten times each. If Arsenal overcome Barcelona, they will put England ahead and keep the trophy in the country after Liverpool's triumph against Milan in the 2005 final.
    Cesc Fabregas has learned a lot from Henry this season and established himself in the first team after the departure of Patrick Vieira to Juventus. The 18 year-old midfielder from Catalunya will be in the unusual situation of facing his former club.
    Asked if his family would support Barca, Fabregas said: "In what situation would you be, if your son was playing for a team? I suppose you would be loyal to your son. My grandparents, uncles and cousins are also on my side and there is no problem (about that)."
    Fabregas moved from Barcelona to Arsenal when he was only 16 and added: "It is a special game, you know. When you play against your former team, your-old team and you see that they have only the league and that they are playing good football, it is even more interesting because you know it is going to be difficult but we all know that we showed great quality and great character this season and we all know we can do it. So, it is going to be difficult but not impossible."
    Arsenal have not conceded a goal in their last 10 Champions League appearances and let only two in during this season's campaign against Barcelona's four.
    The return of central defender Sol Campbell and left back Ashley Cole and will give them even more confidence to face an attack which includes Samuel Eto'o, Deco and, most of all, Ronaldinho.
    Gilberto Silva, the only Brazilian player at Arsenal, will keep a close eye on his friend at the national team.
    "It would be great to play against him. It is different for me because we always played together and now to play against him it would be a little distinct but I hope to be able to do my best to win the match against him -- and it won't be easy," said the 29 year-old midfielder.
    If Arsenal's defence cannot hold Barcelona's attack, the last barrier would be goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. The German saved the penalty from Villareal's Joan Riquelme which sent his team to the final and is ready to deliver another match winning performance in a match that can go all the way to a shoot-out.
    "I think it is quite difficult because normally only Ronaldinho takes penalties there. So, you have to have good sources to find out where is this player going for this one and other one."
    From Germany's number one goalie to the world's number one striker, Arsenal are ready to prove that can make history in Paris.
    The only other final between a Spanish and an English club was held in the French capital ended with Liverpool's 1-0 victory over in 1981.
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