Arshavin hoping for 'dream' Barca move

Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin has his heart set on a move to Barcelona this summer after the European Championships, revealing…

Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin has his heart set on a move to Barcelona this summer after the European Championships, revealing that playing for the club he supported as a boy is his "dream".

Arshavin has only made two appearance at the tournament but his impact has alerted top European clubs and Zenit St Petersburg are braced for his departure.

Arsenal have also been linked the 27-year-old, with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger suggesting recently that he would fit the bill for the football in the Premier League.

However, Arshavin said: "I have supported Barcelona all my life.

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"Barcelona are my dream. I never thought I would have a genuine chance to play for the club. Let's see how the situation unfolds.

"For now I can't say anything for sure. At the moment I'm a player of team Russia and I'm only thinking about doing well in the semi-finals."

Arshavin will start for Russia against Spain in the Euro 2008 semi-final at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium tomorrow evening.

He missed the defeat to Spain at the start of the tournament through suspension and admits there could be an element of revenge to turn around that 4-1 reverse.

"Possibly because I didn't take part in the first match," he added. "For me the first game has no meaning any more. This is a semi-final and things can be decided by a single mistake."

Russia coach Guus Hiddink has Denis Kolodin and Dmitri Torbinski suspended for
the semi-final.