Wenger - Barca the best yet

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger reckons Pep Guardiola's Barcelona are the best team he has ever seen.

Wenger takes his side to Camp Nou on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals still stunned by the defending champions' display in the first leg.

Wenger has promoted a brand of exciting possession play in his time at the Arsenal helm, with captain Cesc Fabregas the driving force in midfield.

But the French supremo admitted his astonishment to see Barca dominate possession at the Emirates and create a flurry of early chances.

The Spanish giants looked set to steamroll Arsenal and gained a 2-0 lead after the break but Wenger's men battled back late on to salvage a 2-2 draw and keep their hopes of progressing alive.

"This is the best team I've ever seen and the best team I've ever faced," said Wenger.

Psychological

"They play at a higher pace collectively and I don't think we have ever been dominated so much at home. Certainly Cesc hasn't!

"He's used to having the ball. I think there was the psychological influence of us being so used to having the ball, then suddenly we didn't have the ball.

"The impression was deeper on the players than it should have been. I think we have to make some things different on Tuesday to make sure that it doesn't happen again."

And Wenger has singled out striker Nicklas Bendtner as key to providing a new dimension.

Aerial threat

The Denmark international, 22, has often been criticised for not being clinical enough in front of goal but scored a hat-trick in the last round against Porto and headed a last-gasp winner against Wolves on Saturday.

And Barca have been forced into a defensive reshuffle as central-defensive pair Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are both suspended, so Gabriel Milito and Rafael Marquez are set to come in.

"Bendtner is important because he gives us something different," said Wenger.

"He has size and is good in the air so on crosses you have hope with him.

"When people told us you have no 'Plan B' he gives us a little bit. We always want to play football, but he gives us an option in the air that we did not have without him."