How Arsenal lined up the last time they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League
ARSENAL return to Champions League action against Porto tonight.
The Gunners will look to start the knockout campaign as they look to go on with a win ahead of next month's second leg at the Emirates.
However, fortune has not been on their side in recent years.
Arsenal last played in the Champions League seven years ago, when Arsène Wenger was still in charge.
They were eliminated in the round of 16 after a humiliating 10-2 defeat to Bayern Munich.
That was the seventh consecutive season that the Gunners failed to progress past the first round of the knockout stages.
During that time they were also knocked out by Barcelona, Monaco and AC Milan.
The last time Arsenal qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League was in 2010.
They booked their place in the last eight against Porto 14 years ago after a 6-2 aggregate victory.
After losing 2-1 in the first leg, the Gunners came back to win 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
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They had a very different squad then, with players like Nicklas Bendtner, Abou Diaby and even Sol Campbell in the lineup.
SunSport takes a look at how Arsenal lined up ahead of that 5-0 second-leg victory over the Portuguese giants.
GK – Manuel Almunia
Almunia was between the sticks for Arsenal that evening after taking over from Lukasz Fabianski.
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He captained the side and managed to keep a clean sheet and send the Gunners through to the quarter-finals.
After leaving Arsenal in 2012, he joined Watford and then spent two years at Vicarage Road before retiring.
RB – Bacary Sagna
Sagna spent seven years at Arsenal after joining the club in 2007 and became a fan favorite until joining Manchester City.
He played one of the 284 games against Porto in the second leg of the Champions League, playing alongside two Invincibles.
CB Sol Campbell
One of the Invincibles in question is, of course, Campbell.
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He joined Arsenal in 2001 and spent five years at Highbury before leaving in 2006.
He went on to play for Portsmouth and Notts County before returning to the Gunners for a six-month spell in 2010.
Campbell scored a crucial away goal in the first leg against Porto and helped keep a clean sheet during the second leg.
CB – Thomas Vermaelen
The defender took over the number 5 shirt from Kolo Toure when he arrived in 2009 and quickly established himself as a key first-team player.
He finished his first season with eight goals to his name and spent four more years at Arsenal before joining Barcelona.
He then went on to play for Roma and Vissel Kobe, as he retired in 2022.
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LB – Gael Clichy
Clichy is the other Invincible from the 2003/2004 Arsenal team who played in the second leg of the round of 16.
He spent eight years at Arsenal, making 264 appearances before joining Manchester City.
CM – Alex Lied
Song joined Arsenal in 2006 and was seen by many as the next big thing.
However, during his time in north London he admitted to being a “wastemaker”.
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He said: “Most footballers live beyond their means. I worked at Arsenal for eight years but only started earning a good income in the last four years.
'That was because my salary increased considerably, but also because I realized what a spendthrift I was.
“When I first joined I was paid £15,000 a week. I was a young lad and I was ecstatic.
“I wanted to hang out with the big boys. I could shop wherever I wanted and have crazy nights.”
He continued: “During my entire time at Arsenal I couldn't even save £100,000 and people thought I was a millionaire.
“When Barcelona offered me a contract and I saw how much I would earn, I didn't think twice. I thought my wife and children should have a comfortable life when my career was over.
“I met the sporting director of Barcelona and he told me I wouldn't play many games. But I didn't care – I knew I would become a millionaire now.”
CM – About Diaby
Diaby was tipped for greatness when he joined Arsenal, but a significant part of his career was hampered by injuries.
The midfielder was one of the first names on Wenger's team list when fit.
However, serious injuries such as an ankle fracture and ACL tear, as well as calf problems and hamstring problems limited his potential.
RM – Samir Nasri
Nasri scored Arsenal's third goal during their match against Porto in 2010, after an impressive solo run.
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He was perhaps in the form of his life during his time in North London, but moved to Man City with Clichy in 2011 and is now on the bad side of many Arsenal supporters.
LM – Tomas Rosicky
Like Diaby, Rosicky's Arsenal career was also marred by injuries.
However, he provided the fans with some memorable moments during his time at the club, including two derby goals in North London.
His time with the Gunners came to an end in 2016 and he was given a guard of honour.
FW – Andrej Arshavin
Arshavin was Arsenal's record signing upon his arrival.
Like Rosicky, he gave fans some unforgettable moments, including a four-goal haul at Anfield.
He returned to Russia to sign for Zenit St. Petersburg after leaving the Gunners in 2013.
FW – Nicklas Bendtner
Every football fan would have heard of this player.
He is widely regarded as a cult Premier League hero with 47 goals and 22 assists in 171 appearances.
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Bendtner joined Arsenal in 2005 and spent nine years at the club before joining Wolfsburg.
He was a hero for the Gunners against Porto in 2010 after scoring a hat-trick in the second leg.