Arsenal stole the point they wanted in the Nou Camp last night after a gallant comeback produced another late goal in a bad-tempered game.
Gilles Grimandi was sent off for an elbow on 80 minutes but instead of buckling, the London side equalised seconds later when the Barcelona goalkeeper failed to hold Davor Suker's shot and Nwankwo Kanu pounced to shoot home.
After being outclassed in the first half, it was a fitting reward for the toughness and maturity Arsene Wenger's side showed after the break.
This was Arsenal's first visit to Spain in European competition though sadly the occasion was shared by few of their supporters. Despite the 106,000 capacity of the stadium, the Spaniards had allocated a paltry 1,776 tickets to Arsenal - less than for their recent Premiership visit to Southampton.
As the game kicked off on a warm evening Arsenal's task was clear: to take at least a point from one of the competition's fancied sides.
The idea of coming away with a win belonged in dreamland and not just because only one English club had won at the Nou Camp in 18 attempts - Liverpool in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup.
The quality of the Barcelona side, their patient passing and fluid movement off the ball was evident from the first whistle.
Lee Dixon was forced to clear off the line from Rivaldo's header after just nine minutes. Four minutes later it was Winston Bogarde's turn to rise worryingly above the Arsenal defence, heading just over the bar.
When Barcelona took the lead just past the quarter-hour the goal stemmed from an Arsenal mistake but was no more than the home team deserved.
As Tony Adams came out to block Luis Enrique's run towards the area, the midfielder slipped a clever ball to Phillip Cocu. He aimed a pass to Dani deep in the area, a diving Alex Manninger intercepted but fumbled the ball. Patrick Vieira, about three yards out, moved in to tidy up but dawdled in possession, allowing Luis Enrique to nip in and force the ball home.
Arsenal had enough problems without committing suicide.
The Premiership side could not get to grips with the invention of Barcelona's three-man midfield, Gilles Grimandi often playing too deep and as a result Dennis Bergkamp and Kanu, preferred to Davor Suker up front, often lacked support.
When Martin Keown only half-headed clear, the roaming, menacing Rivaldo pounced to power a shot at goal which Manninger did marvellously well to tip over the bar. The fact that Arsenal's two first-half bookings were for fouls on Rivaldo told its own tale.
Ray Parlour was preferred to Frederik Ljungberg partly to help Dixon cope with the Brazilian's sorcery. But Rivaldo, along with Cocu and Luis Figo, were eager and mobile recipients of Josep Guardiola's quarter-back distribution from midfield as Barcelona teased and tested Arsenal's ageing back line.
At the other end Ruud Hesp was forced into only one first-half save, to gather Dixon's hopeful long-range shot on 28 minutes.
Whatever their manager said at half-time made an immediate impression as the yellow-shirted visitors began the second period with much more vigour.
First Marc Overmars, a peripheral figure hitherto, went close, then Bergkamp's run ended with a shot just wide and when Nigel Winterburn's corner was only half-cleared, Martin Keown blasted over the bar.
On 70 minutes Kanu sprinted into the area and unleashed a shot which Hesp was punched away. Two minutes later Arsenal increased the pressure by bringing on Thierry Henry and Suker for Parlour and Bergkamp. Barely five minutes later Grimandi was off and Arsenal were level.
FIFA may re-open their file into Nicolas Anelka's controversial transfer from Arsenal to Real Madrid. World football's governing body claim they will investigate the deal if the English Football Association or Arsenal forward new evidence and ask them to look again at the move.
The Mirror has published extracts of secretly-taped telephone conversations which the newspaper claims show that the Spanish club made an illegal approach for the player. The tapes will also be broadcast on ITV's Tonight programme.
The recordings detail a clandestine meeting held without Arsenal's knowledge between Anelka's five representatives and Real's vice-president Juan Omieva in Istanbul at the end of May.
Barcelona: Hesp, Reiziger (R De Boer 70), F De Boer, Sergi, Bogarde, Guardiola, Luis Enrique (Litmanen 78), Figo, Rivaldo, Dani, Cocu. Subs Not Used: Arnau, Abelardo, Kluivert, Xavi. Booked: F De Boer, Dani. Goal: Luis Enrique 16.
Arsenal: Manninger, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn, Parlour, Vieira, Grimandi, Overmars (Ljungberg 80), Bergkamp (Suker 74), Kanu. Subs Not Used: Seaman, Henry, Silvinho, Luzhny, Upson. Sent Off: Grimandi (81). Booked: Bergkamp, Vieira, Adams, Suker, Keown. Goal: Kanu 81.
Referee: M Merk (Germany).
