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Arsene Wenger: 'Loss of Eric Abidal was crucial'

:Headline: Arsene Wenger: 'Loss of Eric Abidal was crucial': ID:25334: from db_amp
Arsene Wenger believes that Barcelona have suffered without Eric Abidal.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has cited the loss of Eric Abidal as the key reason for Barcelona's poor run of form.

Wenger believes that there are several factors responsible for Barcelona's downturn in form which has seen them dumped out of the Champions League and effectively lose the La Liga title to Real Madrid, but stresses the importance of the departure of Abidal for a liver transplant operation.

"I believe as well that they could not afford to lose two players - one Messi and two, Abidal. When they lost Abidal... when you watch the game when we won 2-1 he saved three goals - he made three desperate saves," Wenger told Arsenal's official website.

"Against Chelsea the other night, the bad luck was they lost Pique early in the game. They played with one defender - Puyol - in the whole game.

"Mascherano is a midfielder and Alves is a... something more than a defender. Basically they played the whole game with one defender. But they are still the best team."

Barcelona, who sit second in La Liga, were hit with the news on Friday that manager Pep Guardiola will leave the club at the end of the season.

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1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Villarreal177642928127
6Mallorca188371821-327
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Osasuna176742225-325
10Real BetisBetis176652021-124
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Rayo Vallecano175661920-121
13Celta Vigo176382528-321
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1743101629-1315
19Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512
20Valencia162591424-1011
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