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Arsene Wenger: Arsenal can be inspired by 2011 win over Barcelona

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said his players can draw inspiration from the club's 2011 Champions League home win over Barcelona when they face them next week.

The Gunners recovered from a goal down to beat Barca 2-1 in the first leg of that round-of-16 meeting, with Andrei Arshavin scoring a late winner on what Wenger called "one of the exceptional nights at the Emirates."

While Barcelona went on to win 3-1 at home in the return and lifted the trophy that season, Wenger said the match at the Emirates offered lessons for the current Gunners.

"We suffered for a big part of the game, and we should be encouraged by that," he told Arsenal's weekly podcast. "We suffered in the first half, and in the second half we took slowly over and became very dangerous.

"So that should help us in our game against Barcelona if we have uncomfortable moments, to still have in our minds that we can still win even if it's difficult."

Barcelona are strong favourites, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in lethal goal-scoring form.

But Wenger said he felt Arsenal's success on the break against the La Liga champions five years ago could be replicated this time around.

He said he would long remember the "special" atmosphere at the Emirates -- but also how his team had come back down to earth the following weekend.

"That week reminded me of how football is really, as a team," Wenger added. "Because you can deliver something exceptional, and then three or four days later we went to Leyton Orient and had a draw in the FA Cup.

"So in the same week you are on a high and then on a down again. But it will certainly be remembered as one of the exceptional nights at the Emirates."