It appeared like eternally that Arsenal had been away from the Champions League earlier than their return to the competitors in 2023, permitting them to make extra recollections within the well-known competitors.
From squeezing by means of the group levels to creating the ultimate in dramatic circumstances, the north Londoners have had loads of memorable moments beneath the lights since making their debut in 1998.
Soccer FanCast has ranked 25 of the Gunners’ greatest Champions League moments.
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25
2005/06: Arsenal 2-1 FC Thun
Bergkamp rescues Arsenal late on
Champions League minnows FC Thun have been plying their commerce in non-league eight years previous to this fixture and have been anticipated to be rolled over with ease. But it surely actually did not pan out like that.
Arsenal needed to play with 10 males for a lot of the match after Robin van Persie acquired a straight purple card for catching Alen Orman within the face along with his boot.
The Gunners discovered themselves annoyed by the Swiss outfit and gave the impression to be heading in direction of a shock draw earlier than Dennis Bergkamp struck residence a dramatic stoppage-time winner to spare his facet’s blushes.
24
2000/01: Arsenal 2-1 Valencia
Parlour screamer downs Valencia
Arsenal got here again from 1-0 down towards La Liga giants Valencia to safe a 2-1 victory within the Champions League quarter-finals.
Thierry Henry levelled the rating within the 58th minute earlier than Ray Parlour netted a thunderous strike from distance two minutes later to place the north Londoners forward.
Sadly, the second leg noticed the Spanish facet advance on away objectives after successful 1-0 on the Mestalla.
Valencia went on to achieve the ultimate earlier than struggling a heartbreaking defeat to Bayern Munich on penalties.
23
2003/04: Arsenal 1-0 Dynamo Kyiv
Ashley Cole retains Gunners alive
Bonfire Night time in 2003 produced an electrifying ambiance at Highbury after Ashley Cole netted an 88th-minute winner to clinch a 1-0 victory towards Dynamo Kyiv.
The all-important consequence saved Arsenal’s Champions League goals afloat as they went on to win their ultimate two group video games to qualify for the knockout levels of the competitors.
The Gunners reached the quarter-finals earlier than struggling a late 3-2 mixture defeat to London rivals Chelsea.
22
2005/06: Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal
Highbury bids farewell to CL nights
Kolo Toure’s first-half strike was sufficient to seal a 1-0 win towards Villarreal within the semi-finals of the Champions League, in a recreation that noticed a squirrel famously invade the sector of play.
It was additionally Arsenal’s ultimate European fixture at Highbury, so the victory was a becoming farewell to the historic stadium.
Wenger’s males went on to achieve the Champions League ultimate after holding the Spaniards to a goalless draw within the second leg at El Madrigal.
21
2002/03: PSV 0-4 Arsenal
Gilberto and Arsenal thrash PSV
Arsenal secured a thumping 4-0 away victory towards PSV within the group levels of the 2002/03 competitors. Gilberto Silva broke the document for the quickest Champions League purpose after netting inside 21 seconds.
Thierry Henry scored a late brace and Freddie Ljungberg additionally discovered himself on the scoresheet to finish the demolition job within the Netherlands.
Dennis Bergkamp additionally performed in his first European away recreation in two years.
20
2013/14: Arsenal 2-0 Napoli
Mesut Özil really arrives
The summer season of 2013 noticed Arsenal obliterate their switch document to signal Actual Madrid playmaker Mesut Özil for a whopping £42.4m.
The German’s first purpose in Arsenal colors got here of their Champions League opener towards Napoli as he fantastically caressed residence a side-footed effort from simply contained in the field.
Özil scored seven objectives while laying on 14 assists in his debut marketing campaign in north London, so not dangerous going…
19
2024/25: PSV 1-7 Arsenal
Gunners get pleasure from one other nice evening in Eindhoven
Arsenal’s putting within the revamped Champions League group part meant a last-16 tie towards PSV, who had crushed Liverpool and Juventus on their approach to sealing their very own knockout stage berth.
However these hoping for an in depth recreation have been rapidly disenchanted, because the Gunners raced out of the blocks to steer 3-0 inside 31 minutes.
Arsenal did not take their foot off the fuel within the second half, placing one other 4 previous their opponents to make the second leg a formality. It was their greatest away victory within the Champions League.
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Arsenal not too long ago joined a listing of one of the best workforce performances in Champions League historical past after their 7-1 win towards PSV.
18
2001/02: Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Eventual finalists performed off the park
Arsenal performed the would-be runners-up Bayer Leverkusen off the park because the French trio of Robert Pires, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira all obtained themselves on the scoresheet.
But it surely was the Dutchman Bergkamp who scored the decide of the objectives as he turned his man on the sting of the realm and cheekily dinked the ball over the helpless Hans-Jörg Butt.
Regardless of a blinding show by the Gunners, they have been dumped out of the competitors within the second group part after ending third.
17
2007/08: Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague
Gunners activate fashion towards Slavia
Wenger’s males utterly dominated their Czech opponents as they recorded the membership’s biggest-ever Champions League victory. The fluidity of the play was a pleasure to look at, and a number of the objectives scored have been out of this world.
The Gunners got here second to Sevilla of their group that 12 months and reached the final eight of the competitors earlier than struggling a 5-3 mixture defeat by Liverpool. A merciless exit for the north Londoners.
Soccer purists will definitely get pleasure from watching this spotlight reel under.
16
2005/06: Arsenal 0-0 Actual Madrid
Gunners maintain Actual at Highbury to finish epic victory
After sealing a historic 1-0 win on the Santiago Bernabeu, Arsenal nonetheless needed to fend off Actual Madrid on their very own patch to seal a quarter-final place again in 2006.
In a fair recreation, the Gunners held their very own towards their fancied opponents as soon as once more, with Thierry Henry mesmeric as ever as Arsene Wenger’s facet held on.
Madrid got here closest when Raul was terribly denied by Jens Lehmann with the purpose at his mercy.
