Emerson awaits Henry 'nightmare'

Juventus midfielder Emerson knows Arsenal FC's "phenomenal" captain Thierry Henry will prove a menace to the Italian side's defence in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Fearsome Frenchman
Henry, 28, has scored four goals in six appearances in this season's competition, and ahead of the Highbury tie, linchpin Emerson has revealed that the Bianconeri are fearful of facing the Frenchman. He told uefa.com: "I was certain we would get Italian opposition in the draw. Instead we got Arsenal, who are a good side and a team with a phenomenal player up front in Thierry Henry.

Devilish threat
"José Antonio Reyes is also a great player. The boy is fast, strong and doesn't run away from challenges. But Henry is their main player and we won't be able to relax, especially with him playing like the devil. Henry will be a nightmare for us and we are going to need all our resources to stop him. He makes Arsenal even more dangerous."

Vieira returns
Henry's France team-mate Patrick Vieira will be returning to London for the first time since his €20m summer move to Turin. The 29-year-old spent nine glorious seasons with Arsenal and his midfield partner Emerson expects Vieira to show the home crowd what they have been missing.

Competitive streak
"A lot of the build-up has been about Patrick's return to London and I am sure it will be very emotional for him," said the Brazilian international. "But for me, it's clear that he's more motivated for this game than most others. Patrick will want to play the match of his life, not only because he's one of the most competitive people I know but also because of the respect he has for Arsenal.

Good understanding
"We are extremely happy that Arsène Wenger let him go. Patrick's arrival has improved our team a lot because he fixed perhaps our only weak link - a lack of power in midfield. With Patrick by my side, I am not as overworked as I was last season. We also get on extremely well because we seem to have the same spirit and commitment."

Last-minute winner
Juventus needed an 88th-minute winner from Emerson to see off Werder Bremen in the last round, but the 29-year-old expects a much better showing this time around. "Nobody should discount us because of the game against Bremen," he said. "We tend to struggle against the less fancied sides so I think it is good for us to face strong opposition like Arsenal. This is our chance to show what Juventus are made of."