Barca face Arsenal in Champions League

Paris: Barcelona against Arsenal in the Champions League final - it has all the ingredients of a high-scoring classic. A scrappy 1-0 victory would satisfy Thierry Henry.

"It's all about winning," the Gunners' French star said before Wednesday's game at the Stade de France.

"Definitely you have the players to put on a show in Paris but it's about winning at the end of the day."

Arsenal and Henry have waited a long time for this moment, taking on a talented Barcelona lineup featuring FIFA world player of the year Ronaldinho.

The Gunners have won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups under manager Arsene Wenger, but have flopped in Europe's most prestigious club tournament.

"All the time I have been looking at the Champions League final I have been thinking I wish I was there," Henry said. "I've never even been there to watch it. It's nice that it's in Paris (his hometown) but the most important thing is to be there."

Henry doesn't expect a six-goal thriller like last season's final in which Liverpool came from 3-0 down at halftime against AC Milan in Istanbul to beat the Italians in a penalty shootout.

"When you look at the semifinals, people were saying Milan against Barcelona was going to be a game with a lot of goals and then you didn't many. It was 1-0," Henry said. "People also thought Villarreal against Arsenal would be a game with a lot of goals and there were not a lot of goals (1-0)."

Arsenal has beaten powerhouses Real Madrid and Italian champion Juventus on the way to the final.

Now the Gunners face a Barcelona team which - besides Ronaldinho - has Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, Portuguese midfielder Deco, Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, Swedish forward Henrik Larsson and French attacking midfielder Ludovic Giuly, as well as Spanish stars Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez.

Argentina's teenage star Lionel Messi looks set to miss the game due to a knee injury.

"If you try to look for a weakness it's difficult to find one," Henry said. "We have to work on what we can do on Wednesday and gave a go at them. They have a strong, defense, a strong midfield and a strong attack and they have a strong bench."

While Henry returns to the city where he was born, Ronaldinho is back where he played two seasons for Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Barcelona.

"It was in Paris where I began my European football career and to be able to play a Champions League final there, and perhaps win, motivates me even more," the Brazilian star said.

The game pits Barcelona's natural offense-minded style under coach Frank Rijkaard against Arsenal's fast counterattacks.

"Instead of just pressing forward we have learnt to adapt to each game and remain concentrated throughout," said Deco, who will be a key player in Barcelona's midfield.

"We still go out to win the games like before but now also we put a lot of importance on defending strongly and not getting caught out by sloppy mistakes."

Deco will face Arsenal's teenage Spanish star Cesc Fabregas, who grew up on the outskirts of Barcelona as a Barca fan and trainee only to move to Arsenal as a 16-year-old.

"It's very difficult to leave a great team but I knew I was going to join a great team as well," said 19-year-old Fabregas, whose starring performances for the Gunners have earned him a place on Spain's World Cup squad.

"I thought the best decision was to come here. Now I only think about Arsenal."

Ronaldinho's mastery with the ball and ability to pick out teammates with high-quality passes could cause major problems for a young Arsenal defense which has produced a Champions League 10 shutouts.

But, if a Barca move breaks down on the edge of the Gunners penalty area, three or four swift phases of interpassing likely will end with Henry using his pace to charge at goal or setting up a tap-in for a teammate.

Henry plays a major role in Wenger's tactical plans. He scored 27 league goals this season - six more than anyone else in the Premiership - and set up many more for his teammates.

Whether Henry will back again with Arsenal next season, only he knows. There is strong speculation he could wind up at Barcelona.

Henry kissed the Highbury turf after scoring a hat trick in Arsenal's end-of-season 4-2 victory over Wigan.

Was he saying goodbye to the old stadium before Arsenal's move to a new 60,000-capacity ground next season. Or was he saying a final farewell?

His decision could come after the final whistle in Paris on Wednesday.