Vermaelen backs Arsenal to shut down Barca stars

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen insists his side have the mental strength to shut down Barcelona’s superstars in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final.

The Gunners will be heavy underdogs when they take on the European champions in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, but Belgian centre-back Vermaelen is convinced Arsene Wenger’s team have the character and belief needed to cope with any challenge.

After heavy defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea earlier this season, Arsenal were written off as also-rans, but they recovered impressively from those blows to fight back into the title race.

They also overturned a first leg deficit against Portuguese champions Porto in the previous round and Vermaelen said: “In football you have to be mentally strong. It is really important for us.

“We have shown that in the past several times this season. We have to do it again.

“We lost to Man Utd and Arsenal and came back to win important games. We lost the first leg in Porto and came back to win again.

Of course there is a lot of pressure on this game but for me you always want to play that kind of big game.”

Vermaelen, 24, and his fellow defenders have the unenivable task of subduing Barca forward Lionel Messi over two matches.

World Player of the Year Messi has proved time and again that he can destroy any defence in Europe. But former Ajax star Vermaelen has no intention of allowing himself to be overawed by facing the Argentine.

“I think for a player it is one of the biggest games you can play against one of the best teams in the world,” he said.

“But I don’t think you have to be nervous. You don’t focus on individual players. You have to focus on you’re own game.

“Of course I have watched Messi, he is one of the best players in the world.

“People want to watch that kind of player and I like him a lot but there is no time to be intimidated. You can’t look at Messi and how great he is. You have to play your own game.”

If Arsenal are to shock Pep Guardiola’s team, Vermaelen knows they need captain Cesc Fabregas to recover from the knee injury which stopped him training on Tuesday.

“He is a really important player for us of course. He has showed that in every game for us. The boss will make the decision on Wednesday,” Vermaelen said.

Vermaelen is uncertain whether he will have Sol Campbell or fit-again French defender William Gallas alongside him at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, but he is confident either player will be able to deal with Barca’s stars.

“For me it doesn’t matter. I have played with all three other centre-halves. William trained and he will be in the squad but the boss will decide,” he added.