Champions League 2nd leg: Team News

With Champion's league tantalising poised and with the next round berth being anybody's for taking, Narhari Singh gives us the team news.

Arsenal: Robin Van Persie is all set to return for Arsenal’s 2nd leg Champions league tie with Manchester United on Tuesday night. The man from Holland has been missing with a groin injury since the Gunner’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea in their FA Cup semi final tie. The Arsenal boss’s plan to go in with a more offensive 4-4-2 formation this time has got a welcome boost with their inform striker passing his fitness test and making it to full training today. Michael Silvestre was also seen in training (suffered a groin strain in the first leg), showing signs that the ex-United center back may feature against his old side at the Emirates, he will take a late fitness test tomorrow. Eduardo’s injury vows seem to continue as he is out for the rest for the season after suffering a groin injury in the 1st leg of this champions league tie. The Gunner’s boss explains “Eduardo is like the guy who stands on the motorway and gets run down by the lorry coming up the wrong side. He is really distraught. Since he came back it seems every single little thing that can happen to him happens. We watched the incident again in slow motion and there was nothing he could do.” Clichy (back) will also miss out while Andrey Arshavin is cup-tied.

Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand is also looking good to start after scares of a possible broken a rib against Arsenal in the first of the two Champions league semi final legs. He is expected to win his fitness battle ahead of Tuesday's Champions League second-leg with Gunners. Garry Neville was also seen in training today and could fill in for fellow team mate Wes Brown who is out of contention. United could also be without left-back Patrice Evra who missed training this morning.

Barcelona: It is unclear whether Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is going to make it for Barca’s must win tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as he suffered a knee strain on Sunday. The Frenchman scored a brace against arch rivals and Spanish giants Real Madrid to seal the La Liga title for the Catalans as they thrashed Real 6-2 at the Bernabeu Stadium late Sunday night. Though it is confirmed that Henry sat out of training today, at this moment in time there are still mixed reports coming in about his fitness. Barca will definitely be without captain Carlos Puyol, who is banned after picking up another yellow in the 1st leg, and defender Rafa Marquez, who is out for the season.

Meanwhile Barca talisman Lionel Messi, who also scored two on Sunday against Real has fired the “Boring Blues” a warning - “We will play in the same way against Chelsea as we did against Real and, playing like that, we will have many chances. If we do things as we did on Saturday then we will score and go through”.

We are yet to hear the latest team news from the Chelsea camp at this point.