Villarreal against Arsenal

Pires plays the ball up to Rossi who kicks Toure in the head as he attempts to bring the ball down. He apologises for the accident.

Back in Spain Villarreal have regrouped and are taking the fight to Arsenal.

Carlos Tevez has given Manchester United a 2-1 lead against Porto.

Senna plays a clever ball through the Arsenal defence for Fernandez, who can't pick out a team-mate with his cut-back and Arsenal clear.

The corner eventually drops to Senna on the edge of the box and his powerful shot is inches away from giving Villarreal the lead.

Rossi is still posing a threat, now with Pires alongside him, and his cross is bundled behind for a corner.

Seems like Wenger disagrees with my earlier assessment and Adebayor is going to stay on as Eboue comes on to replace Walcott.

Fernadez prepares to cross but Djourou slides in from about ten yards away to make a perfectly timed challenge. Great defensive work.

Walcott is still full of running and rampages down the right flank. He cuts inside and shoots over the bar.

Adebayor looks tired now. He has ran his socks off as the lone striker for Arsenal tonight.

When the ball does get into the Arsenal box there is a moment of panic between Fabianski and Djourou but the goalkeeper takes control of the situation and boots the ball clear.

The game is being played in Villarreal's half and they can't seem to get out.

The corner drops for Nasri on the edge of the area but the Frenchman snatches at his shot and it goes well wide.

Eguren flicks Fabregas' cross behind for a corner.

Pires is cheered by both sets of fans; but can he make the difference for Villarreal?

Pellegrini has seen enough and makes a change. Off goes Llorente and on comes former Gunner Robert Pires.

Their is only one team in it now. Nasri shifts the ball to his right foot, sends the defender Rodriguez the wrong way and fires a shot wide of Lopez's goal.

Walcott launches another attack for Arsenal. He is one on one with Capdevila but loses his footing and the defender clears the danger.

What a great strike that was! Arsenal get the reward their attacking play deserved.

Fabregas chips a pass into the box from deep. Adebayor controls it on the chest and hits an overhead shot into the back of the net. GOAL!!!

Adebayor collects a pass on the run and flicks the ball back to Nasri, who for some reason decides not to shoot and plays a bad pass to Walcott.

The Gunners have upped their game.

Arsenal are camped on the edge of the Villarreal area but can't find a way through to goal.

Walcott gets some space on the edge of the area and lofts a pass into the box for Adebayor. The striker gets his head to the ball but can't generate enough power to trouble Lopez.

Senna sets himself for another long-range special. His shot is deflected and Fabianski stands wrong-footed as the ball goes wide of the far post.

Rossi races at the Arsenal defence. But the red shirts are flooding back and the danger has past.

Clichy fouls Fernandez and the Villarreal players are again appealing for a card to be shown. It was not a yellow card offense and the ref agrees.

Walcott twists and turns to find space on the right but he is surrounded by three players and is going nowhere.

Missed a few minutes with a technical issue there but you didn't miss any action.

Fabregas seems to be involved in everything now and a few objects are thrown at him as he goes over to take a corner. the Spanish club could be in trouble with UEFA over that.

The ref calls Fabregas over, amid Villarreal players waving imaginary cards, but gets away with a stern word.

Fabregas hangs out a leg and fouls Capdevila. Plays goes on for now but he has already been booked and could be in trouble when the game stops.

Denilson, who has come into the game more in these early moments of the second-half, scoops a pass over the defence to Adebayor, who is once again caught offside.

Fabragas collects a back-heel from Denilson but the midfielder scuffs his shot and it trickles into the Villarreal box.

Glichy plays a great pass down the line for Adebayor but the flag goes up for offside. Looks like the Gunners might probe the left flank in this half.

Arsenal made two enforced changes in the first-half of course. Gallas and Almunia off, Djourou and Fabianski on.

Just casting an eye over the teams it looks like the home side have made a chnage. Fernandez has replaced Cani.

Villarreal get the second-half underway.

The ref blows for half-time.

...Fabregas takes a quick freekick and scores. However, the ref was not ready and has booked Fabregas. Toure takes it this time and smashes a shot into the wall.

Glichy powers forward and is caught as he passes the ball to Adebayor. The refs blows for a freekick within shooting distance...

Adebayor leads with his elbow and catches Godin in the face. The Arsenal striker gets booked.

Walcott loses the ball to Capdevila and puts his team in the plop.. but they escape unscathed.

That has made up Wenger's mind about Gallas and he takes him off the pitch. On comes Djourou to replace him at centre-back.

Villarreal sense the injury and Rossi runs straight at Gallas. The striker sets up Cani for a shot but his effort goes wide.

Amazingly Gallas is limping back on. With five minutes until half-time he is struggling on.

Ibagaza takes the freekick (remember that) but hits his shot right inot the wall. A poor effort that by the midfielder.

... In the midst of all this Song is booked and Villarreal have a freekick. Gallas is stretchered off and Arsenal only have ten-men at the moment.

Rossi drives at the centre of the Arsenal defence. Song brings him down right on the edge of the box and Rossi falls into Gallas. The defender looks in a bad way and the stretcher has been called for...

Adebayor and Sagna raid the right flank yet again for the Gunners. Sagna cross loops up off the leg of Capdevila and Lopez rushes off his line catch the ball.

Cani wins a cheap freekick from Song.

Walcott and Toure combine down the right. Toure smashes in a low cross but Adebayor can't make contact and Lopez collects.

Adebayor chases a header back by Godin and gets to it. The striker picks out Nasri, who puts his cross straight into the hands of Lopez.

It's all a bit scrappy now.

Well he was tested and came through it with star billing. Villarreal have discovered that Fabianski is no weak link.

Villarreal ping the ball up the pitch. Senna sets his sights and shoots, but Fabianski does what Almunia couldn't and saves. The keeper is up quickly to block a second effort at his near post.

Fabianski comes on for his 19th game for Arsenal. He will need to shake off any nerves quickly because Villarreal are sure to test him out as soon as they can.

It looks like Almunia will have to come off after all and Fabianski replaces him.

The Gunners are hassling and hurrying Villarreal when they have possession and the Spanish team can't seem to get the ball forward anymore.

Adebayor and Senna indulge in a bit of greco-roman wrestling. Villarreal get the freekick.

Fabregas almost threads a pass through to Walcott but Godin makes a block. Villarreal don't make the most of the resulting counter-attack.

Sagna falls over for the umpteenth time and handles the ball to stop it going past him. No yellow card for deliberate handball though.

Arsenal have won a string of corners now but have fialed to put in a good delivery on each occassion.

Wayne Rooney has scored for Man United to make it 1-1 with Porto.

Gallas heads at goal, forcing another good save from Lopez, but the flag is up for offside.

Walcott contorts his body to make a great tackle and launch Fabregas on the attack. The Spaniard sets up Nasri for a shot but Lopez is equal to the effort.

Eguren is down injured after a tackle by Song. After looking at the TV replay it looks like a fair challenge.

Rossi lingers on the edge of the box and there is some panic in the Arsenal ranks because Almunia looks injured again.

Yet again Arsenal look for Walcott. This time he provides a good cross that results in a corner... but it is another poor one by the Gunners.

Great pass by Sagna finds Walcott down the right and the forward wins a corner. The delivery is over hit and the Spanish side clear.

Arsenal are really up against it now as Villarreal have never lost a Champions League match at home.

What a strike that was! Senna has a reputation for long-range goals and Arsenal were too slow to close him down.

Senna picks up the ball 30-yards out. The crowd urge him to shoot. He does. And his long-range effort curls past Almunia. GOAL!!!

Great tackle on Fabregas by Ibagaza. Senna looks up and picks out Llorente but Gallas does well to force him a way from goal.

Word from the bench is that Almunia is okay to continue.

Adebayor holds up the ball for the Gunners. Fabregas flicks a pass out to the right for Walcott, who mis-hits his cross.

Manchester United have gone a goal down to Porto in tonight's other match.

From a corner Capdevila pokes the ball at goal through a crowd of players. Somehow Almunia and Clichy stop it on the line. He should have scored there.

Almunia races out of his area and collides with Rossi. He looks injured and will get some treatment. It was a daft decision by the keeper.

Walcott is already using his pace to test Angel. He looks like an effective outlet for the Gunners.

Llorente is quickly into the action but his near post effort is blocked by Toure.

Arsenal get the game under way, wearing their famous red and white kit, kicking form left to right. Villarreal don their famous yellow.

A Semi-final against either Man United or Porto await the winner of this one.

Former Gunner Pires is on the bench but will be hoping to play a part against his old club.

Villarreal have lost goalscoring midfielder Carzola for the rest of the season, but on the plus side Spain international Senna returns from injury to boost the midfield.

Arsenal have opted for a lone striker in Adebayor but he scored two goals at the weekend and Nasri and Walcott should offer support from the flanks.

Pellegrini has seen enough and makes a change. Off goes Llorente and on comes former Gunner Robert Pires.

Their is only one team in it now. Nasri shifts the ball to his right foot, sends the defender Rodriguez the wrong way and fires a shot wide of Lopez's goal.

Walcott launches another attack for Arsenal. He is one on one with Capdevila but loses his footing and the defender clears the danger.

What a great strike that was! Arsenal get the reward their attacking play deserved.

Fabregas chips a pass into the box from deep. Adebayor controls it on the chest and hits an overhead shot into the back of the net. GOAL!!!

Adebayor collects a pass on the run and flicks the ball back to Nasri, who for some reason decides not to shoot and plays a bad pass to Walcott.

The Gunners have upped their game.

Arsenal are camped on the edge of the Villarreal area but can't find a way through to goal.

Walcott gets some space on the edge of the area and lofts a pass into the box for Adebayor. The striker gets his head to the ball but can't generate enough power to trouble Lopez.

Senna sets himself for another long-range special. His shot is deflected and Fabianski stands wrong-footed as the ball goes wide of the far post.

Rossi races at the Arsenal defence. But the red shirts are flooding back and the danger has past.

Clichy fouls Fernandez and the Villarreal players are again appealing for a card to be shown. It was not a yellow card offense and the ref agrees.

Walcott twists and turns to find space on the right but he is surrounded by three players and is going nowhere.

Missed a few minutes with a technical issue there but you didn't miss any action.

Fabregas seems to be involved in everything now and a few objects are thrown at him as he goes over to take a corner. the Spanish club could be in trouble with UEFA over that.

The ref calls Fabregas over, amid Villarreal players waving imaginary cards, but gets away with a stern word.

Fabregas hangs out a leg and fouls Capdevila. Plays goes on for now but he has already been booked and could be in trouble when the game stops.

Denilson, who has come into the game more in these early moments of the second-half, scoops a pass over the defence to Adebayor, who is once again caught offside.

Fabragas collects a back-heel from Denilson but the midfielder scuffs his shot and it trickles into the Villarreal box.

Glichy plays a great pass down the line for Adebayor but the flag goes up for offside. Looks like the Gunners might probe the left flank in this half.

Arsenal made two enforced changes in the first-half of course. Gallas and Almunia off, Djourou and Fabianski on.

Just casting an eye over the teams it looks like the home side have made a chnage. Fernandez has replaced Cani.

Villarreal get the second-half underway.

The ref blows for half-time.

...Fabregas takes a quick freekick and scores. However, the ref was not ready and has booked Fabregas. Toure takes it this time and smashes a shot into the wall.

Glichy powers forward and is caught as he passes the ball to Adebayor. The refs blows for a freekick within shooting distance...

Adebayor leads with his elbow and catches Godin in the face. The Arsenal striker gets booked.

Walcott loses the ball to Capdevila and puts his team in the plop.. but they escape unscathed.

That has made up Wenger's mind about Gallas and he takes him off the pitch. On comes Djourou to replace him at centre-back.

Villarreal sense the injury and Rossi runs straight at Gallas. The striker sets up Cani for a shot but his effort goes wide.

Amazingly Gallas is limping back on. With five minutes until half-time he is struggling on.

Ibagaza takes the freekick (remember that) but hits his shot right inot the wall. A poor effort that by the midfielder.

... In the midst of all this Song is booked and Villarreal have a freekick. Gallas is stretchered off and Arsenal only have ten-men at the moment.

Rossi drives at the centre of the Arsenal defence. Song brings him down right on the edge of the box and Rossi falls into Gallas. The defender looks in a bad way and the stretcher has been called for...

Adebayor and Sagna raid the right flank yet again for the Gunners. Sagna cross loops up off the leg of Capdevila and Lopez rushes off his line catch the ball.

Cani wins a cheap freekick from Song.

Walcott and Toure combine down the right. Toure smashes in a low cross but Adebayor can't make contact and Lopez collects.

Adebayor chases a header back by Godin and gets to it. The striker picks out Nasri, who puts his cross straight into the hands of Lopez.

It's all a bit scrappy now.

Well he was tested and came through it with star billing. Villarreal have discovered that Fabianski is no weak link.

Villarreal ping the ball up the pitch. Senna sets his sights and shoots, but Fabianski does what Almunia couldn't and saves. The keeper is up quickly to block a second effort at his near post.

Fabianski comes on for his 19th game for Arsenal. He will need to shake off any nerves quickly because Villarreal are sure to test him out as soon as they can.

It looks like Almunia will have to come off after all and Fabianski replaces him.

The Gunners are hassling and hurrying Villarreal when they have possession and the Spanish team can't seem to get the ball forward anymore.

Adebayor and Senna indulge in a bit of greco-roman wrestling. Villarreal get the freekick.

Fabregas almost threads a pass through to Walcott but Godin makes a block. Villarreal don't make the most of the resulting counter-attack.

Sagna falls over for the umpteenth time and handles the ball to stop it going past him. No yellow card for deliberate handball though.

Arsenal have won a string of corners now but have fialed to put in a good delivery on each occassion.

Wayne Rooney has scored for Man United to make it 1-1 with Porto.

Gallas heads at goal, forcing another good save from Lopez, but the flag is up for offside.

Walcott contorts his body to make a great tackle and launch Fabregas on the attack. The Spaniard sets up Nasri for a shot but Lopez is equal to the effort.

Eguren is down injured after a tackle by Song. After looking at the TV replay it looks like a fair challenge.

Rossi lingers on the edge of the box and there is some panic in the Arsenal ranks because Almunia looks injured again.

Yet again Arsenal look for Walcott. This time he provides a good cross that results in a corner... but it is another poor one by the Gunners.

Great pass by Sagna finds Walcott down the right and the forward wins a corner. The delivery is over hit and the Spanish side clear.

Arsenal are really up against it now as Villarreal have never lost a Champions League match at home.

What a strike that was! Senna has a reputation for long-range goals and Arsenal were too slow to close him down.

Senna picks up the ball 30-yards out. The crowd urge him to shoot. He does. And his long-range effort curls past Almunia. GOAL!!!

Great tackle on Fabregas by Ibagaza. Senna looks up and picks out Llorente but Gallas does well to force him a way from goal.

Word from the bench is that Almunia is okay to continue.

Adebayor holds up the ball for the Gunners. Fabregas flicks a pass out to the right for Walcott, who mis-hits his cross.

Manchester United have gone a goal down to Porto in tonight's other match.

From a corner Capdevila pokes the ball at goal through a crowd of players. Somehow Almunia and Clichy stop it on the line. He should have scored there.

Almunia races out of his area and collides with Rossi. He looks injured and will get some treatment. It was a daft decision by the keeper.

Walcott is already using his pace to test Angel. He looks like an effective outlet for the Gunners.

Llorente is quickly into the action but his near post effort is blocked by Toure.

Arsenal get the game under way, wearing their famous red and white kit, kicking form left to right. Villarreal don their famous yellow.

A Semi-final against either Man United or Porto await the winner of this one.

Former Gunner Pires is on the bench but will be hoping to play a part against his old club.

Villarreal have lost goalscoring midfielder Carzola for the rest of the season, but on the plus side Spain international Senna returns from injury to boost the midfield.

Arsenal have opted for a lone striker in Adebayor but he scored two goals at the weekend and Nasri and Walcott should offer support from the flanks.