Theo Walcott believes Arsenal would give Barcelona more of a game this time around should they draw the Catalans in the UEFA Champions League.
The Gunners lost 6-3 on aggregate to the Spanish giants at the quarter-final stage of the competition last year.
Walcott was introduced as a substitute in the first leg at the Emirates and scored to help Arsenal fight back from two goals down to earn a draw.
But the Gunners had no answer to Lionel Messi in the second leg as the Argentinean scored a magnificent four goals to send Arsene Wenger’s side crashing out.
This year, the Gunners qualified for the knockout stage in second place in Group H with a 3-1 win over Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday.
They will now face either Barcelona or Real Madrid or German pair Bayern Munich and Schalke when the knockout stage draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland next Friday.
Walcott is relishing the prospect of taking on the Catalans again if the Gunners are paired with Pep Gaurdiola’s side.
Best
“If you want to be the best, you have to play the best,” said Walcott.
“We want to go that one step further – if we do get Barcelona, we don’t want Messi to do what he did to us last season.
“I would love to go back there and show them what we are all about this season.
“We want to win silverware for the fans because they have waited too long.
“We have improved – new personnel have come in and we have players coming back from injury soon.
“It doesn’t matter to us, we will play anyone and try to win the game.”
United clash
Of more immediate concern for the Gunners is a top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Manchester United on Monday.
Walcott knows getting the better of Sir Alex Ferguson’s men at Old Trafford will be no easy task, despite Arsenal’s impressive away form.
“United have not lost in the league yet, so hopefully we can be the first to do that,” he said.
“Manchester United are not playing the best, but these are the games where they will step up.
“Yet if they are not playing well and still are second in the league, then we don’t want to catch them on a good day.
“But we have just got to go there and play with no fear, express ourselves and then the best performance will come out.
“We need to get something there and the way we are playing away from home, we can beat anyone.”
