Arsenal v Villarreal

What do Villarreal have in common with Sampdoria, Dundee United, and the Slovakian footballing legends of Spartak Trnava? All are European Cup debutants who marched straight into the semi-finals of the competition at the first time of asking.

But, if you think Villarreal's unexpected advance means Arsene Wenger has any intention of underplaying his Champions League opponents, think again. Arsenal's manager, pointing to the strong Latin American personalities that underpin the team - seven should start at Highbury - could not be more wary of the cunning, tempo and experience they transmit.

'We face more South American football than Spanish football,' he explains. 'This is a team that has tactical tricks and knowledge, that can slow the game down and wait for a weak moment with [Juan Ramon] Riquelme, playing as a kind of quarterback, ready to kill you. With Diego Forlan as a runner and Juan Pablo Sorin's character, they have a big inspiration coming from South America. We know in Europe they are always difficult to beat.'

Can his inexperienced side handle it? 'I'm confident because the team has character,' says Wenger. 'We were under massive pressure in the second game against Real Madrid when they came here highly motivated. Then we went to Juventus and were under huge pressure because when basically you have already qualified you can only lose it. Yet the players were completely fine.'

Villarreal may lack the prestige of Arsenal's previous scalps, but they pose a new problem for Wenger's young team. More organised than Real and more creative than Juventus, they have a more balanced European approach than either.

'We have to dictate an English pace to this game,' Wenger stressed, 'but without being caught on the breaks. It will be very important for us to create chances.' A look over the video of their meetings with Everton will confirm that chances could be there for the taking. Mariano Barbosa, who will be playing in place of regular goalkeeper Sebastian Viera, was particularly vulnerable against David Moyes' team. Central defenders Gonzalo Rodriguez and Juan Manuel Pena are both doubtful after being injured in Friday's 1-0 defeat at Barcelona.

In reaching this stage for the first time with Arsenal, Wenger is determined that his players will not waste this opportunity. 'We fought for eight years to be where we are now. It justifies what I said for years. You just have to be there every year and one year it goes for you. It is difficult to get where we are now.

'It is a 50-50 game,' added Wenger. 'Man United couldn't beat them, Everton couldn't beat them, they just knocked Inter out, so we respect them.'

Not so much, though, that they will consider man-marking Riquelme in a bid to stifle Villarreal's master of invention. 'Certainly not,' said Wenger. 'We will play our game. He can have a quiet night.'