Arsenal vs Barcelona team news: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts ahead of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck

The match kicks off at 7.45pm

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts for Arsenal against Barcelona (Getty Images)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts ahead of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck tonight for Arsenal in their crucial Champions League Last 16 first-leg tie against Spanish giants Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium.

Before kick-off, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said this week that he will have a "little word" with Alexis Sanchez to make sure the forward is in the right zone to inflict pain on former club Barcelona.

The Gunners face a daunting task when they come up against the reigning European champions in the opening leg of their Champions League first knockout round tonight.

Wenger's men have fallen at this hurdle in the previous five seasons and many will expect that to become six as the collective attacking talents of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are unleashed in north London.

One player who could have been lining up for Tuesday's visitors is Sanchez - but the Chile international instead was sold to Arsenal in the summer of 2014.

He has since flourished under Wenger, becoming an integral member of a side which has won back-to-back FA Cups and remain in the hunt for three trophies this season.

But, while Wenger admits the 27-year-old will be keen to show his former employers what they are missing, the Frenchman wants Sanchez to manage his temperament on a big night for the club.

"He will be fired up, but that doesn't mean he will be in the right zone," Wenger said.

"The performance zone is where you are focused and relaxed and that is what is difficult in sport.

"Sometimes when you are too focused you are not relaxed, so it's a zone where everything looks easy and sometimes when you play against your former club you are not necessarily in that zone."

TEAMS

Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta, Messi, Suarez, Neymar.