Thierry Henry is glad the UEFA Champions League draw did not pair FC Barcelona with his old side, Arsenal FC, but expects a tough test nonetheless against an FC Bayern München team who "have so many players who can score goals".
Arsenal avoided
The 31-year-old forward, who left north London for Camp Nou in 2007, is relieved to have been spared a game against his former colleagues, though the two clubs could yet meet in the final at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on 27 May. "I'm happy we avoided Arsenal as I didn't want to face them," said Henry, France's all-time leading goalscorer with 48 strikes.
Fearsome scoreline
However, having noted Bayern's 12-1 aggregate victory over Sporting Clube de Portugal in the first knockout round, Henry is in no doubt that the German champions are dangerous opponents. "It's going to be a difficult tie," he said. "They have so many players who can score goals. They beat Sporting in the last round by a hatful, although we also know we'll have chances against them.
'Bayern's Lionel Messi'
"They have so many players who can make a difference in a game, however – Luca Toni or Bastian Schweinsteiger for example," he continued, adding of his international team-mate: "Franck Ribéry is Bayern's Lionel Messi. When there seems to be no space to move, Franck can still do things. With his talent he can hurt Barça, Real Madrid, Manchester United or any team you care to mention."
Mixed blessing
The Blaugrana have the additional pressure of playing the return match away from home, yet Henry is sanguine about that prospect. "It works both ways," he explained. "If we perform well at Camp Nou, we go there in a calmer frame of mind. It's hard to predict." The first leg at Camp Nou is scheduled for 8 April, with the decider taking place at the Fußball Arena München six days later.
(From Website : http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=812322.html)
