Henry and Wiltord: Suffered abuse from Spanish crowd (CraigPrentis/Allsport)

As well as the passion generated by fiercely partisan fans in last night's friendly against Spain, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Sylvain Wiltord endured a torrent of racial abuse as France lost 2-1.

The same insults were hurled at Chelsea's Marcel Desailly and Middlesbrough's Christian Karembeu. Desailly was in no doubt what the Arsenal team will need when they play the second leg of their quarter-final against Valencia at the Estadio Mestalla in three weeks.

'Cool heads, they will be essential,' said Desailly. 'There is a tremendous atmosphere in the stadium and Arsenal will also be facing a very good Valencia team. It will be difficult for them and they have to be ready.'

Former Arsenal midfield player Emmanuel Petit was both horrified at the racist abuse - and the way in which the supporters influenced Austrian referee Lutz-Michael Frohlich.

Robert Pires, Henry and especially Vieira were at times left frustrated and bemused by Frohlich's decisions that offered little protection to the French players.

Petit said: 'Arsenal will have to do well at home, that will be so important.'