Two goals in the final 12 minutes from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin clinched a dramatic victory for the Premier League side after Barcelona had taken the lead through a first-half David Villa strike.
The result means Arsenal - thrashed 6-3 on aggregate by Barcelona in last year's quarter-finals - will carry a narrow lead into Camp Nou when the two sides meet in the second leg on 8 March. The thrilling finale capped a superb encounter at the Emirates as arguably the two most stylish sides in Europe laid on a feast of attacking football.
Arsenal started brightly and tested Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes after only five minutes, when a jinking run from Theo Walcott saw the ball transferred to Cesc Fabregas on the edge of the area. The Spanish maestro flicked an exquisite pass to van Persie, whose angled half-volley from close range forced a good save from Valdes.
The threat of Lionel Messi was never far away however, and the Argentinian star drew a desperate challenge from Alex Song after only seven minutes that earned the Cameroonian a booking. Arsenal were then given a huge let-off on 15 minutes when Messi was sent racing clear after an immaculate pass from Villa. The Argentine ace committed Szczesny in goal with a magical feint and beat the Arsenal keeper with a delicate dink, but the effort rolled just wide of the post
Arsenal continued to live dangerously, and Andres Iniesta just failed to find Villa with another penetrative pass along the deck. After numerous warning signs for Arsenal, the opening goal arrived on 26 minutes.
Another eye-of-the-needle pass from Messi sent Villa racing clear and he drilled a low shot beneath Szczesny. Arsenal's players appealed for offside as boos rang out around the Emirates, but Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli remained unmoved.
With Barcelona dominating possession, Arsenal's most promising moments of the half came on the counter-attack, where Walcott's pace regularly unnerved the visitors' defence. The England international was at the heart of a lightning break on 29 minutes that ended with van Persie slicing his shot wide. Arsenal breathed another sigh of relief on 38 minutes when Messi had the ball in the net, only to be adjudged fractionally offside.
A frenetic start to the second half saw both sides struggle to create clear chances, although Arsenal were grateful when Laurent Koscielny - magnificent throughout - just managed to knock Pedro Rodriguez off-balance as he went clear on goal on 57 minutes.
Arsenal continued to look for openings on the break however, and a sweeping move ended in a booking for Gerard Pique, who tripped Samir Nasri. The booking rules the Barça centre-back out of the second leg.
Just when it seemed Arsenal's labours were to be in vain, van Persie conjured a goal out of nothing on 78 minutes. Gael Clichy flicked a ball over the top and van Persie went clear wide on the left. Nothing seemed on but the Dutchman spotted daylight between Valdes and the Barcelona goalkeeper's near post and thundered home a rasping low shot.
With Barcelona suddenly rocking, Arsenal pressed home their advantage, and seven minutes from time their persistence paid off. Another counter-attack saw Nasri burst clear down the right. The Frenchman checked and weighed his options before picking out Arshavin, who had replaced Song, and the diminutive Russian swept in a majestic winner.
LINE-UPS
Arsenal: 53-Szczesny, 04-Fabregas, 06-Koscielny, 08-Nasri, 10-Van Persie, 14-Walcott, 17-Song, 19-Wilshere, 20-Djourou, 22-Clichy, 27-Eboue SUBS USED: 23-Arshavin, 52-Bendtner
Barcelona: 01-Valdes, 02-Daniel, 03-Pique, 06-Xavi, 07-Villa, 08-Iniesta, 10-Messi, 16-Busquets, 17-Pedrito, 19-Maxwell, 22-Abidal SUBS USED: 15-Keita, 21-Adriano Correia
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