Arsenal are making ready for a primary Champions League semi-final since 2009 after defeating defending European champions Actual Madrid.
The Gunners have been 3-0 up from the primary leg because of Declan Rice’s double and Mikel Merino’s strike, and sensationally gained 2-1 on the Bernabeu after a late winner from Gabriel Martinelli.
Their reward is a tie in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain, with the winner heading to Munich to face both Barcelona or Inter.
The final week or so has seen Arsenal add to their prestigious listing of memorable European nights, with their first-leg victory over Los Blancos arguably the best evening the Emirates Stadium has ever seen.
With that in thoughts, here’s a have a look at the perfect European matches within the membership’s illustrious historical past.
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11
Roma 1-0 Arsenal (6-7 on penalties)
2008/09 Champions League, spherical of 16 second leg
After securing a 1-0 win at house, Arsenal went to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in 2009 hoping to complete the job with none main points.
Nevertheless, the Gunners fell behind fairly rapidly, with Juan levelling the mixture scoreline inside 10 minutes.
With no additional objectives on the evening, a shootout was required, and regardless of Eduardo’s miss for the guests, Manuel Almunia saved from Mirko Vucinic and Max Tonetto blazed over to ship Arsene Wenger’s aspect by means of to the final eight.
10
Arsenal 2-0 Juventus
2005/06 Champions League, quarter-final first leg
Arsenal delivered certainly one of their most interesting leads to the Champions League when seeing off Juventus within the first leg of their quarter-final in 2006.
Buoyed by eliminating Actual Madrid within the earlier spherical, the house aspect went forward by means of Cesc Fabregas, who slotted previous Gianluigi Buffon simply earlier than the break.
Thierry Henry then scored in opposition to his former membership to double Arsenal’s benefit and cap a magical evening at Highbury, with the Outdated Girl held to a goalless draw within the second leg in Turin.
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9
Arsenal 3-0 Anderlecht
1969/70 Festivals Cup, remaining second leg
It feels unusual to place a remaining so low on this listing, however 55 years on, Arsenal’s victory in opposition to Anderlecht within the Inter-Cities Festivals Cup to safe their first European trophy could be price a point out in any case.
Down 3-1 from the primary leg, Ray Kennedy’s comfort in Belgium would arrange an outstanding comeback at Highbury.
Eddie Kelly acquired the ball rolling in north London, earlier than two objectives in two minutes from John Radford and Jon Sammels handed the Gunners the trophy.
Bertie Mee’s aspect would go on to win the league and cup double the next season.
8
Arsenal 1-0 Porto (4-2 on penalties)
2023/24 Champions League, spherical of 16 second leg
Arsenal had been out of the Champions League for six seasons earlier than their long-awaited return in 2023/24, with their watch for a quarter-final stretching again to 2010.
So after they went 1-0 down late on in opposition to Porto within the first leg, historical past regarded like repeating itself, with Arsenal’s final seven Champions League campaigns ending on the last-16 stage.
Leandro Trossard put Mikel Arteta’s aspect in entrance on the evening, however there have been no extra objectives on a tense evening in north London.
Fortunately, the Gunners have been faultless from the spot, with David Raya’s save from first-leg hero Galeno sparking wild celebrations on the Emirates.
7
Milan 0-2 Arsenal
2007/08 Champions League, spherical of 16 second leg
Arsenal have been underdogs heading into their conflict within the San Siro to face reigning European champions Milan, however got here away with certainly one of their greatest outcomes on the street in Europe.
A goalless draw on the Emirates meant a rating draw could be sufficient to ship the Gunners by means of with out the necessity for further time, but when something, it regarded as if one other 0-0 was on its manner.
Six minutes from time, Cesc Fabregas picked the ball up within the centre of the sector and unleashed a shot from 30 yards, which by some means discovered the nook to all however seal the consequence for Arsenal.
Emmanuel Adebayor scored late on to place the icing on the cake.
6
Inter 1-5 Arsenal
2003/04 Champions League, group stage
Slightly extremely, Arsenal’s heroics in opposition to Milan could not even be their best within the San Siro.
Whereas their victory over Inter was solely within the 2003/04 group stage, it in all probability trumps their win over the Rossoneri for the truth that a win was important, and that the scoreline stays gorgeous to today.
Arsenal had a horrendous begin to their group marketing campaign, incomes one level from their first three matches, and required a win in Milan to remain alive.
That meant beating a workforce that had thumped them 3-0 at Highbury simply two months earlier.
Happily, Thierry Henry was in red-hot type, and hit a brace to assist smash an Inter aspect that fell aside within the second half, with Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires all getting in on the act earlier than the ultimate whistle as Arsenal smashed their opponents on their solution to profitable Group B.
5
Arsenal 1-0 Parma
1993/94 Cup Winners’ Cup remaining
Arsenal’s most up-to-date European trophy was secured 31 years in the past, when an unfancied Gunners aspect noticed off favourites Parma within the Cup Winners’ Cup remaining in Copenhagen.
George Graham’s aspect, who have been additionally with out the suspended Ian Wright, took a shock lead by means of Alan Smith’s volley within the first half.
Parma’s stars, together with Gianfranco Zola, Faustino Asprilla and Tomas Brolin, had loads of probabilities both aspect of Smith’s effort, however the defence remained resolute to deliver the trophy house.
4
Villarreal 0-0 Arsenal
2005/06 Champions League, semi-final second leg
Arsenal have been 90 minutes away from their first Champions League remaining after a 1-0 success in Highbury’s remaining European recreation in opposition to Villarreal.
The shock package deal within the Champions League that season, Villarreal have been hoping to overturn their deficit to arrange an all-Spanish affair within the Paris finale.
And simply when Arsenal regarded like seeing it out, the hosts have been awarded a mushy penalty within the remaining moments, with further time now wanting like a certainty.
However Jens Lehmann had different concepts, diving to his left to maintain Juan Roman Riquelme’s spot-kick out and ship the Gunners by means of.
3
Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona
2010/11 Champions League, spherical of 16 first leg
Whereas this tie ultimately resulted in controversial defeat, the primary leg of Arsenal and Barcelona’s last-16 tie in February 2011 can nonetheless give followers goosebumps.
Led by Pep Guardiola, event favourites Barca took the lead by means of David Villa’s first-half end, just for a late Gunners comeback to ship the guests house defeated.
Robin van Persie levelled an absorbing tie after catching out Victor Valdes at his close to publish, earlier than an incisive breakaway noticed Samir Nasri discover Andrey Arshavin free within the field to slam house the winner.
2
Arsenal 3-0 Actual Madrid
2024/25 Champions League, quarter-final first leg
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal got here of age after they got here up in opposition to the European champions on the Emirates Stadium, with a second-half blitz seemingly placing the tie past their opponents.
An in depth tie exploded into life within the second half when Declan Rice curved an outstanding free-kick across the Madrid wall to attract first blood, earlier than repeating the trick with an arguably higher strike simply minutes later.
Makeshift striker Mikel Merino then rounded off an excellent transfer to provide Arsenal a golden likelihood of defeating their fancied opponents and make the semis for the primary time in 16 years – an opportunity they did not move up.
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1
Actual Madrid 0-1 Arsenal
2005/06 Champions League, spherical of 16 first leg
Profitable on the Bernabeu is troublesome sufficient, however for Arsenal to take action with out a number of key gamers and whereas in detached type, it’s tough to say that their win over Actual Madrid in 2006 is not their most spectacular achievement so far.
Arsenal got here firing out of the blocks in Madrid, taking the sport to their opponents and ultimately getting their reward moments into the second half, with Thierry Henry racing away from the defence to complete previous Iker Casillas.
The second leg, the place Arsenal held Los Blancos to a goalless draw, was simply as heroic, however after turning into the primary English workforce to win on Actual’s house floor with an under-strength aspect, there has arguably been no higher feat than their 1-0 success in opposition to the Galacticos.
