What happened to Arsenal XI that last reached Champions League quarter-final
Arsenal are undeniably one of the biggest clubs on the continent, but their European record is drastically underwhelming considering their stature.
From 2017 to the current campaign, the Gunners had to go without Champions League football. The bulk of that period was spent in the Europa League, though there was one season without any sort of European football altogether. With that being said, the days Arsenal spent in Europe's most prestigious club competition were hardly littered with success.
To find the last time Arsenal even reached the quarter finals of the tournament, you'd have to go back as far as April 2010. In that time, Mikel Arteta has joined the Gunners at the Emirates as a player, retired, coached a rival and returned to the club as a manager.
The last time Arsenal won a Champions League knockout tie, they were under the reign of legendary boss Arsene Wenger. All 11 of the players who were named in the line-up have since called time on their playing careers.
Ahead of Arsenal's first Champions League knockout game in seven years against Porto on Wednesday evening, Mirror Football has taken a look at how their last starting XI to win at this stage fared later on in their career. The game in question also came against the Portuguese giants, with the Gunners running out 5-0 winners on the night.
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GK - Manuel Almunia
Manuel Almunia captained Arsenal in their last Champions League knockout triumphHAVE YOUR SAY!How will this Arsenal side fare against Porto on Wednesday? Comment below
The Spainard never convinced the Emirates faithful after succeeding Jens Lehmann as Arsenal's No.1. However, he managed to keep a clean sheet on this occasion.
Almunia spent eight years on the books at Arsenal, in which time he won an FA Cup. A brief loan spell at London rivals West Ham came in 2011, before his permanent exit a year later saw him join Watford two years prior to his eventual retirement.
RB - Bacary Sagna
Sagna was a cult favourite among the Arsenal fanbase for the entirety of his stay. In a period of turbulence and dismal defeats, the French defender was a rare shining light.
His performances over the course of his Gunners career deserved more than just one FA Cup, but Sagna, much like a number of other Arsenal players at this time, had his head turned by the interest of reigning champions Manchester City.
Sagna ended his career with MLS outfit Montreal Impact in 2019.
CB - Thomas Vermaelen
The early stages of Vermaelen's Arsenal career promised so much, with the Belgium international boasting the kind of goalscoring touches most defenders could only dream of.
However, so much of his stay at the Emirates was curtailed by injuries. He went on to captain the club, but even after donning the armband Vermaelen couldn't shake off his fitness issues. After leaving the Gunners in 2014 for the bright lights of Barcelona, before calling time on his career at Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe.
CB - Sol Campbell
This clash came during Campbell's second spell at the club. The England international initially left the club in 2006 and put pen to paper on a deal with Portsmouth. An Ill-fated one-game stint with Notts County soon followed, before he re-joined on a short-term contract.
This contest with Porto fell within the twilight of Campbell's playing career. He left Arsenal at the end of this season, briefly joining Newcastle only to retire in May 2012.
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He has since tested himself as a manager, but is yet to enjoy any success from the dugout. Neither of his tenures with Macclesfield Town or Southend United have indicated the ex-Arsenal ace will be a triumph in the technical ara.
Left-back - Gael Clichy
Gael Clichy would go on to leave Arsenal for Man City - like two others in the Gunners XI that night against PortoGael Clichy, along with Campbell, is one of two 'Invincibles' named in this starting XI. He is only one of a trio to have later upped sticks to Manchester City, and is therefore not remembered that fondly among the Arsenal fanbase.
Despite winning a league with the club, there is an argument to be made that Clichy isn't even as popular as Sagna in the eyes of the Emirates faithful. Six years at the Etihad were followed by two three-year stays with Istanbul Basaksehir and Servette respectively.
Midfield - Alex Song
Alex Song's arrival at Arsenal was greeted with excitement that yet again then-boss Arsene Wenger had unearthed the next best thing. He was by no means a flop, but instead the truth falls somewhere in between.
Song's best season at the club came during the 2011/12 campaign, where his lofted through-balls were often met by a lethal Robin van Persie. However, like Vermaelen, he too couldn't resist Barcelona once the La Liga titans came calling.
Failing to make the grade at the Camp Nou, Song's career descened into journeyman territory afterwards. He spent two seasons on loan at West Ham, before joining Rubin Kazan on a permanent basis. Spells with Sion and Sion II followed, before he eventually hung up his boots at Arta/Solar7 in the Dijiboutian top-flight.
Midfield - Abou Diaby
One of a select group of ex-Arsenal stars who is still the subject of nostalgia, tipped for great things had it not been for some torrid luck with injury. Many felt Diaby was the rightful heir to Patrick Vieira's throne, but the Frenchman simply could not stay fit for long enough to realise his potential.
He left the club to join Marseille in 2015, but managed just a handful appearances back in his hom country before Diaby knew he had little choice but to call time on a playing career that could have been so very different.
Midfield - Samir Nasri
Samir Nasri scored a remarkable solo goal for Arsenal during their last round-of-16 Champions League winUndoubtedly the most disliked player on this list in the eyes of an Arsenal fanbase who expected more loyalty from the midfielder. Nasri's stock rose at Marseille, but his star shone brightest at the Emirates, which in turn meant City plucked him away in 2011.
All the best traits of Nasri's footballing ability were on display during his goal on this night against Porto, which was a remarkable solo effort that is still shown on highlight reels 14 years later.
Nasri won two league titles at City, before failing to recpature the kind of form that made him so popular during disappointing spells with Antalyaspor and West Ham. He retired at Anderlecht in 2020.
Midfield - Tomas Rosicky
Probably the only Arsenal star that could rival Diaby when it came to injuries. Wenger once claimed: "If you love football, you love Tomas Rosicky."
The midfield was nicknamed 'little Motzart' for good reason and when he was available, more often than not delivered for the Gunners. Two North London derby day goals against Tottenham mean he is always welcomed back at the Emirates after retiring with Arsenal in 2016.
Nowadays, Rosicky is the sporting director for boyhood club Sparta Prague.
Forward - Andrey Arshavin
At the time of his arrival, Arshavin was Arsenal's record signing. To say he lived up to the hype would be disingenuous, but that's not to say there weren't some mercurial moments, with his four-goal haul at Anfield living long in the memory of all who witnessed.
He wasn't always involved as much as Wenger would have hoped, but in the mood could give the most resilient defences a real headache. Rumours that Arshavin was homesick throughout his Arsenal career were given more weight by the fact that he returned to Russia after leaving.
Two years at Zenit St. Petersburg were followed by one season with Kuban Krasanodar, though he did end his career with Kazakhstan-based outfit Kairat in 2018.
Forward - Nicklas Bendtner
Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat-trick for Arsenal against Porto in 2010'Lord Bendtner' was Arsenal's hat-trick hero against Porto last time out. He bagged a brace inside 25 minutes, before goals from Nasri and substitute Emmanuel Eboue ended the tie as a contest to make it 4-0 shortly after the hour mark.
Bendtner's stoppage time penalty to make it five (and three for him) was just the cherry on the cake, marking one of his finest hours in an Arsenal shirt.
Hardly the most lethal of strikers, the Denmark international was often ridiculed for his profligate finishing, but Bendtner still forged out a nice career for himself. He donned the colours of Birmingham, Sunderland and even Juventus in separate loan spells while on Arsenal's books.
After leaving the Gunners, he played for Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Rosenborg and Copenhagen before retiring in 2019. His 'Lord' moniker was first started by adoring fans, before a Danish tabloid actually purchased a piece of Scottish land in the name of the striker.
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