Arsenal’s finest UEFA Champions League victories
With the worldwide break now within the rearview mirror, all consideration turns again to membership issues. For Arsenal, supporters are braced for an unenviable mountain of duties mendacity forward.
Not solely are the Gunners a whopping 12 factors behind Premier League desk toppers Liverpool, however in addition they have the almighty mission of within the UEFA Champions League.
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Final season, the favored mentioned simply how tough it will be for the Gunners to stay aggressive on all 4 fronts following their return to the Champions League. In the end, the north London outfit got here up empty-handed. They misplaced the Premier League title race on the ultimate day of the season whereas additionally struggling a quarterfinal exit on the continent by the hands of Bayern Munich.
Now, they run the chance of struggling the identical destiny.
Arsenal’s unenviable duties
For the Gunners devoted, a primary Premier League title in 21 years could now be out of attain. The hole to Liverpool seems insurmountable, even when the Reds have simply misplaced back-to-back video games, leading to them exiting the Champions League by the hands of Paris Saint-Germain and shedding the League Cup ultimate to three/1 underdogs Newcastle United. 12 factors is a mountain to climb, and Arsenal could effectively want to show their consideration towards the continental stage.
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Sadly for them, they face the document and reigning champions within the quarter-finals, a workforce that on-line sportsbook suppliers at present make a real menace to win one more European crown. The newest odds from worth Actual Madrid at +350, narrowly behind joint favorites Barcelona and PSG (+300). Arsenal, in the meantime, are down at +700, placing into perspective simply how enormous their quarterfinal activity is in knocking off the almighty Los Blancos.
One other enormous drawback for the Gunners is that they hardly have any pedigree to talk of in relation to defeating massive groups within the Champions League. Final season, they have been eradicated as quickly as they performed one of many continent’s true heavyweights, specifically Bayern Munich. The identical was the case beneath , with the English aspect struggling a second-round elimination in seven straight seasons between 2011 and 2017.
However Arsenal have had some enormous Champions League nights all through their historical past. Listed here are the video games they want to have a look at for inspiration .
Thierry Henry downs the Galacticos within the Bernabeu
The one constructive that Gooners must cling to forward of their mouthwatering upcoming conflict is that they’re undefeated towards Actual Madrid within the Champions League. With that being stated, they’ve solely met one another as soon as earlier than, however they’re undefeated nonetheless.
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Again in 2006, met Los Blancos within the Champions League spherical of 16. This was a Actual Madrid aspect on the peak of its Galacticos period, with Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, and David Beckham all that includes entrance and middle. The Gunners, in the meantime, solely had captain and talisman to depend on, and their French chief didn’t allow them to down.
The primary leg within the Bernabeu was a nervy affair, however Henry delivered when his workforce wanted him probably the most. He broke away within the second half to attain a shocking solo aim to present his aspect the benefit, and it was a bonus they wouldn’t give up. No extra objectives have been scored throughout the 2 legs, handing Arsenal a well-known mixture victory. They are going to be hoping they’ll do the identical 19 years on.
Patrick Vieira’s return to Highbury is a depressing one
After beating Actual Madrid, Arsenal have been rewarded with a quarter-final towards Italian champions Juventus. The Bianconeri have been on the peak of their powers, including former Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira to a stacked squad containing the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alessandro Del Piero, and Fabio Cannavaro. However it was the London membership’s teenage alternative for his or her former skipper, Cesc Fabregas, who stole the present.
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Within the first leg at Highbury, the Spanish maestro scored the primary 5 minutes earlier than half-time, then assisted captain Henry for the second within the 69th minute to safe a 2-0 victory. The second leg in Turin completed goalless, sending Arsenal to the semifinals for the primary time ever. They’d then narrowly defeat Villareal over two legs within the ultimate 4 earlier than a Ronaldinho-powered Barcelona managed to safe the trophy in heartbreak vogue within the ultimate in Paris.
Younger Gunners come of age within the San Siro
By 2008, Arsenal have been a workforce in transition. Pressured to promote their prized property to cowl the prices of their state-of-the-art new Emirates Stadium dwelling, Arsene Wenger needed to construct a workforce stacked with younger expertise. Gone have been stars similar to Henry, and Fabregas was left to guide the likes of Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Abou Diaby. Fortunately, the Spaniard was a generational expertise, and he was greater than able to being the chief his supervisor so desperately wanted.
Within the 2008 spherical of 16, the Gunners met reigning champions AC Milan within the second spherical. After the primary leg on the Emirates completed goalless, the English aspect knew they have been up towards it within the second leg within the San Siro and defeat was a really actual risk. Fabregas had different concepts.
The younger Arsenal captain rifled dwelling from 35 yards within the 84th minute to place his aspect getting ready to a memorable win. Then, within the second minute of damage time, Walcott broke away down the precise and fed Adebayor, who swept dwelling from shut vary to safe a 2-0 mixture victory.