Barcelona coach Guardiola: Arsenal draw as tough as it gets

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola regards their draw with Arsenal is the toughest Champions League quarterfinal they could have been handed.

Barca thrashed German side VfB Stuttgart 4-0 on Wednesday night to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and were paired with Arsenal in Friday's draw for the last eight.

That tie, a repeat of the 2006 final which Barca won under Frank Rijkaard, has left football purists purring and has captured the imagination of the Catalan public.

Guardiola believes the draw could hardly have been more difficult for his side and he said: "The players are conscious that its one of the hardest draws we could have got.

"Arsenal's team has been together for many years, they have maintained a style of play and if you are not on your game they can walk all over you in a tie like this."

But the Barca coach appears keen to concentrate on the league for now.

"I understand that people are excited about the (Champions League) final at the Bernabeu, but for the moment our objective is the league," he added.