Henry finds Gunners return strange

(GSM) – Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has said that his return to face former club Arsenal will be a “strange” experience for him.

The France striker will travel to the Emirates for his side’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday, with the the 32-year-old facing his former club for the first time.

The Frenchman left the Gunners in June 2007 to join Barca after spending eight years with Arsene Wenger’s side, where he became the club’s all time leading goalscorer.

And during his stint at the London club, Henry claimed two Premier League titles and three FA Cup crowns, writing himself into Arsenal folklore.

But ahead of the meeting with his old team, Henry admitted he had hoped to avoid Arsenal in the draw – although he insisted he would be focussing on matters on the pitch.

“I’m very emotional, but also staying calm,” he said. “It will be a strange game for me. Before the draw I said that I did not want to face Arsenal.

“That was my wish. But now that’s the game we’ve got and we’ll have to give everything.

“It’s very special. To return home is strange and even more so in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.”

Henry was part of the Arsenal side that lost out to Barca in the 2006 final, and he will now line up against his former employers looking to help his new team retain their title.

But the first leg tie will reunite Henry with familiar faces in his quest to make the Madrid final in May – a situation he described as “strange”.

“It will be different because I spent seven years at Highbury and only one at the Emirates, but to see the people, the fans and the other employees at the club again will be very strange.

“It will be only the second time. I do not know how the fans will react.

“For Barca’s supporters it is a dream to go to Madrid and for me it’s strange to be facing Arsenal en route to that. But football is like that.”