Petit: Nasri can fill in for Fabregas

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
06 Apr	7:45 PM	CL	Barcelona (A)	1	4	Lost

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit is backing Samir Nasri to make up for the absence of Cesc Fabregas.

Arsène Wenger's side will go to the Nou Camp this week with several key players missing, but Petit, who played for both teams, is optimistic that the Gunners will still be a force to be a reckoned with.

Fabregas, who injured himself in the first leg, will miss the rest of the season through injury, but Petit has faith in his fellow Frenchman Nasri to pull the strings from central midfield.

He told the BBC: "I've seen Arsenal play very well when Fabregas is not in the team.

"When Fabregas plays he is always asking for the ball and every ball comes through him. That's quite easy for an intelligent team to defend against, as we saw against Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona.

"Nasri is better when he plays in central midfield. He can do it. He has stepped up physically and mentally. He's not the same player he used to be, he realised what he needed to do to play at the top level.

"He has improved a lot over the last few months and I'm sure he can play in central midfield.

"If you stay true to your philosophy - keeping the ball on the ground, movement, passing, speed - then it doesn't only depend on one player."

Manager Arsène Wenger added that Nasri will be assume playmaking duties from the injured Fabregas against Barcelona on Tuesday, adding: "He [Nasri] will of course be important because he will lead our game.

"I would love Cesc to be there 100 per cent. But we have no choice, we have to compensate a little bit.

"I have to find a good balance in the side to make life difficult for Barcelona. But of course Nasri is one of the players who can create."s

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