Sol Campbell will go into the Champions League final firmly believing he has dealt with the demons that threatened to bring his career to an early conclusion.

Campbell's return to fitness - both mentally and physically - has put him in line for a place against Barcelona and given England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson a timely World Cup boost.

The defender's season has been wrecked by injuries and personal problems which culminated in him walking out of Highbury at half-time during a defeat by West Ham in February.

Campbell's return against Portsmouth after ten weeks out of action could not have been more difficult with a cut above the right eye being followed by a broken nose, which required surgery.

It is hardly surprising the 31-year-old centre-half labels the last season as the most difficult of his career.

Campbell said: ''I could probably write a book on it. There's been highs and lows, but I've sorted myself out playing-wise and health-wise. I think I've learned from the experience. You take the highs and the lows but when the lows come you do learn more and get tougher.

''And you have to be. Football year by year outside of the game gets more difficult. You've got to balance the pressure from outside with pressure on the football field.

''In modern-day football you've got to find the balance now when you're injured - do I hold back or do I rush back? You know when you're out other players will come in for you.

''I had some injuries - ankles and calves and things like that. Obviously it's going to slow you down. I was playing two or three games and it was not really flowing.

''You get confidence from a run of games. It's difficult because you want a run of games and to be happy with your body. You don't want to think about it, you just want to play.

''Playing three games in six days was fantastic for me. I needed them.''

But Campbell accepts he will face another hurdle tonight when he will be charged with the task of stopping the footballing magician that is Ronaldinho.

Campbell has played against him only once, during England's World Cup defeat by Brazil in 2002.

Campbell added: ''That was horrible but you've got to put all those things aside.

''For Arsenal it's a massive game and we're going out to win it. We've just got to concentrate on our game and let everybody else talk about what happened in the past.

''You've got to give him a tussle and be tight with niggles."