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Boss - We'll be more mature against Barca

By Lloyd Webb

Arsene Wenger says his team has matured since their last meeting with Barcelona in 2011.

Arsenal beat the Catalan giants 2-1 in the home leg of their Champions League last-16 tie but lost 3-1 in the return match and were knocked out.

Wenger believes Barcelona will pose a big threat but says his side has grown.

“We are more mature,” he said. “We played against Barcelona with top teams, but very inexperienced and very young. Barcelona were in full power but we still managed to beat them and it was always very tight.

"We have never been beaten [comprehensively] and we were sometimes unlucky as well. That is in our minds. That is deep in my body as well. I do not forget that. We have a chance, an opportunity to put things right, and we’ll focus on that.

“We are playing against a team that have the trophy and are the best team in Europe and I think we have a good chance to go through. It is a difficult challenge but an exciting one as well.”