Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has handed the Gunners a boost ahead of Tuesday's trip to Barcelona by declaring himself fit to play.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger cast doubt over whether the teenage midfielder would feature in the crucial Champions League clash after revealing he would miss training on Sunday with an ankle knock picked up against Sunderland.
But Wilshere has since revealed the problem is not serious and that he will be available for the second leg of the last-16 tie at Camp Nou.
The 19-year-old England international said on his Twitter account: "Just to let you know i am not injured and if selected will be fit to face Barca! Few kicks but nothing too bad!"
The news comes as a timely lift for Arsenal with several key players already sidelined for Tuesday's showdown.
Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott will miss out for the Gunners, while captain Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song are both racing to be fit in time for the clash.
Arsenal head into the second leg with a 2-1 advantage having secured victory over Spanish giants Barca at Emirates Stadium last month.
Another player who will be unavailable on Tuesday is defender Thomas Vermaelen, who has been ruled out since August with an Achilles injury.
However, Wenger has more defensive options at his disposal than he did for Arsenal's win in the first leg, when he was without two centre-backs as well as Song.
The French boss feels a flawless defensive display will be key against Barca if the Gunners are to advance to the quarter-finals.
"It will be very important for us to defend well because when you go to the most effective attacking team in the world, you want to have your best defenders available," he said on Arsenal's official website.
"We will look to defend well and attack well. We are not a team that will refuse to attack, we know that.
"The challenge will be to find the right balance between having a team who can defend, as well as one that has a good opportunity, every time it has the ball, to go forward."
