Barcelona sharpen the knife ahead of Arsenal showdown

The Spanish giants are in ominous form while the wheels are falling off the Gunners' bandwagon

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(Image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)

As Arsenal's season shows the first signs of unravelling, Barcelona, the team that has always rejoiced in derailing the Gunners, limbered up for their annual showdown with a 7-0 thrashing of Gary Neville's Valencia in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the Nou Camp.

Arsenal, currently battling a slump in form that has seen them slip from first to fourth in the Premier League, face the Spanish giants in the last 16 of the Champions League on 23 February and given the current form of the two sides, it could be a grisly night for the north London side.

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