Arsenal would have no chance of beating Barcelona and qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League even if they played with 16 men, according to John Hartson.
The Gunners go into Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 second leg clash at Camp Nou needing to score twice to have any chance of progressing, having lost 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg.
And Hartson believes his former club would have to cause one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition to progress at the expense of Luis Enrique’s side.
“Arsenal have no chance, even if they played with 16 players on the pitch at the same time against 11 they would not go through,” Hartson said.
“I am not being disrespectful, that is just the gulf in class between the sides.
“Of course, I would love Arsenal to prove me wrong. I love the club, I love Arsene Wenger. I was in his first Arsenal team when he took over in October 1996 and I speak to him regularly.
“But there is no escaping it would probably be the biggest shock in the history of the Champions League if Arsenal pull it off. I’d probably put the odds at 50-1 they can overturn the deficit, but I’m not going to waste my money.”
