Pirès urges Arsenal to be prepared

Arsenal FC had to overcome steep odds to knock out both Real Madrid CF and Juventus on their way to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Now that they are facing debutants Villarreal CF, though, the London club are no longer considered underdogs, but no one in the Arsenal ranks is taking victory for granted, not least Robert Pirès.

Insider knowledge
Having been linked with a possible summer move to the Spanish side, the experienced midfielder perhaps knows better than most the likely threat posed by Villarreal on Wednesday night. While the Arsenal faithful are preparing to celebrate the last European evening at Highbury before next season's move to a new stadium nearby, Pirès has urged his team to focus fully on the task in hand.

Mirror image
"They will be the hardest test for us yet because they are a very good passing side with excellent midfielders like us," said the Frenchman. "We're really pleased to have reached the semi-finals and the reason we've done it is because we have a very good group of lads here this year. They are learning fast and it's working well, but playing Villarreal will not be easy. In many respects, the way they play, it's like playing a mirror image of ourselves."

Fabregas passion
One man who definitely knows all about Spanish football is Cesc Fabregas and he refutes any suggestion that a side who came through a qualifying group including Manchester United FC and then saw off FC Internazionale Milano in the quarter-finals had been fortunate. "Some say they have been lucky but I think Villarreal deserve to be where they are. Beating Inter isn't easy. All I can tell you is that if we keep going into games showing the same passion and the same desire, then we'll go through to the final because we are a good team."

Keeping standards
One of the most successful elements of Arsenal's success has been defensive solidity. Arsène Wenger's side have set a UEFA Champions League record with eight successive clean sheets. One of the reasons for this has been the outstanding form of goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who at 36, has provided both experience and key saves at the crucial times. As far as clean sheets are concerned, though, he is loathe to afford them too much importance.

Time running out
"I don't care to be quite honest," he said. "It reflects well on the defence and on myself but you can't buy anything with clean sheets. If it helps us to win then I'm glad but clean sheets or no clean sheets we need to win the game against Villarreal, get to the final and then win that. It's particularly important for me because when I look around at the young lads it reminds me of how old I am. I don't feel old but unfortunately I know I only have one or two years left."

Hardest step
Lehmann also paid tribute to those shielding his goal, but was keen not to lavish too much praise as their European campaign is still a work in progress. "They've been fantastic," he said. "Not just tonight but all season. We are working together as a team and playing for each other. We have 100 per cent belief now but we can't relax. It is not enough because we are looking to win the Champions League. We're just one step from the final now but it will be the hardest step."