Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final tonight, a fixture that stands as, arguably, the biggest in the club’s history.
Arsenal have reached this stage once only before, and remain in search of a first-ever Champions League win. Having ended a 22-year wait to win thePremier League this season, Mikel Arteta’s team are now bidding to get another monkey off their back.
TheChampions League has been an elusive holy grail for the Gunners, and beating Paris Saint-Germain represents a formidable challenge.
Luis Enrique’s side are the current holders, having won last season’s Champions League in swashbuckling style. Their 5-0 win over Inter Milan was a record-breaking final scoreline and serves as a warning of their capabilities.
Arsenal also need to overcome a poor record when it comes to European finals. Tonight’s fixture is ninth time that the Gunners have reached a final in continental competition, though Arsenal have won just two of the previous eight.
The North Londoners lifted the 1969/70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in their first European final, after beating Anderlecht 4-3 over two legs.
Arsenal also overcame Parma to win the1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, with Alan Smith scoring the only goal in Copenhagen.
However, the club’s last five European finals have all ended in defeat, a painful record the Gunners will be desperate to improve tonight.
Arsenal’s record in past European finals
- Won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1969-70 vs Anderlecht – 4-3 on aggregate
- Lost the Cup Winners’ Cup final 1979-80 vs Valencia – 0-0, lost on penalties
- Won the Cup Winners’ Cup 1993-94 vs Parma – 1-0
- Lost the European Super Cup final 1994 vs AC Milan – 2-0
- Lost the Cup Winners’ Cup 1994-95 vs Zaragoza, 1-0
- Lost the Uefa Cup final 1999-2000 vs Galatasaray – 0-0, lost on penalties
- Lost the Champions League final 2005-06 vs Barcelona – 2-1
- Lost the Europa League final 2018-19 vs Chelsea -1-4