Arsenal team news: Laurent Koscielny back to face Barcelona 'magicians', confirms Arsene Wenger

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Tom Doyle15 March 2016

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Laurent Koscielny is back from injury for Arsenal's last-16 Champions League clash against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

Arsenal head to Spain needing to turn around a 2-0 deficit from a humbling first-leg defeat at the Emirates last month, with Lionel Messi scoring both goals for the Treble winners.

The Gunners will need to be on top form to defeat the Liga leaders on their own turf and progress to the quarter-finals, and Wenger has been boosted by the return of centre-back Koscielny.

The France international takes the place of Calum Chambers in Wenger's squad, and Arsenal will need the defender on form after a poor run of results and numerous injury problems have seen their hopes of silverware start to slip away.

Wenger said of Arsenal's chances: “We are in a position where we need to score two or three goals,” he said. “That demands a very [clear charge].

"We know that we need to attack and take the game to them.

"I felt that our approach [in the first leg] was not so bad. We lost our balance a bit just after half-time.

"We got caught on the counter-attack at a moment where we looked to be on top of the game, so we are in a position where I don’t think we have to think too much.

“The magicians from Barcelona will demand a good defensive performance from our side."

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