Song to miss Barca clash

Arsenal midfielder Alex Song will miss Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Barcelona because of injury

Arsenal midfielder Alex Song will miss Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Barcelona because of injury. The 22-year-old Cameroon international hurt his groin and was replaced by Samir Nasri with 19 minutes to go in the 1-0 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Song joins Cesc Fabregas (cracked fibula), William Gallas (calf) and Andrei Arshavin (calf) on the sidelines for the game at the Nou Camp. Veteran centre-back Sol Campbell is expected to be available.

Last week's first leg in London finished 2-2 after Arsenal fought back from 2-0 down against the holders with late goals from Theo Walcott and Fabregas.

It's a daunting task for a weakened Gunners side tomorrow but Arsene Wenger maintains Barcelona have weaknesses his side can "exploit".

READ MORE

"We created chances, even in the first half when we were dominated," said the Arsenal boss. "We have not only to defend against them, but use the ball better than we did in the first half - there are some ideas we have to exploit."

Nicklas Bendtner came off the bench against Wolves to score the winner and is expected to be restored to the starting XI tomorrow.

The big Dane - who netted a hat-trick in the last round against Porto - insists Arsenal are a side who never know when they are beaten.

"The belief and character we have showed in all the games is why got so many goals in the late stages," he said. "We kept creating chance after chance and got what we deserved in the end, which was a victory.

"The most important thing was the three points and to then think about Barcelona."

Bendtner accepts Arsenal cannot give Barcelona as much space as they were afforded at Emirates Stadium and must look to capitalise on the absence of regular central-defensive pairing Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, who are both suspended for the second leg.

"Barcelona are a great passing team. We have to try to get a little tighter to them and not give them so much time to play," he said. "For any team to be without their two central defenders, the two players who play week-in week-out, you know they are people they built the team around and it is not good for them - it is good for us.

"It is going to be a hard game, but we think we can do it - this is a trophy we want to win and to win the Champions League you have to beat the best teams."