Highbury and Emirates Stadium have hosted a host of exhilarating nights of European football in Arsenal’s famous history, so here are seven of the best home atmospheres.
The Gunners staged their first European tie on home soil back in October 1963 with an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup affair with the Danish side, Staevnet. Since that night, Arsenal have hosted a flurry of Champions League, Europa League and European Cup Winners’ Cup affairs in N5.
Champions League football debuted at Highbury whilst the tournament still operated as the European Cup in September 1971. The Norwegian squad, Stromsgodset, visited Arsenal and lost 4-0 thanks to goals from George Armstrong, Ray Kennedy and a brace by John Radford.
A brace by Frank Stapleton plus Alan Sunderland’s late hit also gave Arsenal a 3-0 home win against Lokomotive Leipzig on their UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) debut in September 1978. The Gunners beat Fenerbahce 2-0 on their Cup Winners’ Cup bow in September 1979.
Arsenal’s farewell season at Highbury in 2005/06 also saw Arsene Wenger take the Gunners to their debut Champions League final. While Emirates Stadium staged its debut Champions League tie with a 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the third qualifying round in August 2006.
7 of the best European nights Arsenal have had at Highbury and Emirates Stadium
European nights regularly returned incredible atmospheres at Highbury that Arsenal’s move to Emirates Stadium in 2006 has struggled to replicate. But their performances under coach Mikel Arteta in more recent seasons have helped to make the Emirates a cauldron of noise.
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Rival fans regularly ridiculed Arsenal for playing in a library for the lack of an atmosphere at the Emirates. But the Gunners’ first-team squad and Emirates Stadium faithful have built an enriched relationship that makes their home a formidable venue for any away team to visit.
So, with that in mind, Arsenal Insider has taken a look at seven of the best European nights that Arsenal have relished with the best atmospheres at Highbury and Emirates Stadium…
Valencia, April 2001: Champions League, Quarter-Finals
Roberto Ayala punched the wind out of Arsenal’s sails when Valencia visited Highbury in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April 2001. The centre-back thundered his volley home in the 41st minute to get the lead. But Arsenal would not stay down or accept defeat.
Two goals in two minutes from Thierry Henry and Ray Parlour sent Highbury wild as Arsenal fought back. Robert Pires’ genius backheel put Henry through on goal after bamboozling the away backline. Arsenal then kept the pressure up whilst Highbury made their presence felt.
Valencia did not know what hit them as Arsenal’s fans relished their first taste of knockout stage Champions League football on home soil. Patrick Vieira got up quickly to take a free-kick toward Nwankwo Kanu which Parlour stole off the striker before unleashing his rocket.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Parlour flashed the ball home into the top corner of the goal. His effort flipped the tie completely on its head on the hour mark as 35,000 fans inside Highbury celebrated one of Arsenal’s best nights of European football on home soil to date.
Juventus, December 2001: Champions League, Second Group Stage
Arsenal met Juventus for the first time in 21 years when the Bianconeri visited Highbury for a Champions League match in December 2001. It took Freddie Ljungberg just 21 minutes to send Highbury into ecstasy, as well. But it was Dennis Bergkamp who architected their bliss.
Ljungberg fired Arsenal ahead by capitalising on Gianluigi Buffon failing to hold onto Patrick Vieira’s initial strike. Thierry Henry then got his turn to score against the France legend’s old employer with a phenomenal free-kick into the top corner that left Button accepting defeat.
Nerves crept into Arsene Wenger’s players early into the second half when David Trezeguet forced an own goal from Stuart Taylor. But Bergkamp gave the home crowd another reason to cheer in the final minutes by wriggling free of three defenders to tee Ljungberg to score.
Bergkamp twisted and turned his way out of danger before playing a perfect pass through a motionless backline. Buffon would rush out to no avail, as well, as Ljungberg lifted the ball home to score a brace. Yet Bergkamp’s wonderful piece of individual skill was the headline.
Juventus, March 2006: Champions League, Quarter-Finals
Juventus returned to Highbury in March 2006 with a squad full of stars plus a former Arsenal captain after signing Patrick Vieira the previous summer. The French icon lined up with Pavel Nedved, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Buffon. Yet a teenager in burgundy stole the show.
Vieira left a huge void in Arsenal’s midfield but Arsene Wenger turned to an 18-year-old by the name of Cesc Fabregas. The Champions League would then throw up a tie between the student and master. Yet it was the Invincibles legend who made the first and costly mistake.
Robert Pires dispossessed Vieira with a brilliant sliding tackle and started the move Fabregas finished with the opening goal. The future Arsenal captain fired the Gunners ahead after 40 minutes and pulled the strings to later tee Thierry Henry up to score against his former side.
Red cards for Mauro Camoranesi and Jonathan Zebina in the closing stages would only add to Arsenal’s emphatic European night. Vieira’s return overshadowed the build-up for the tie. But Fabregas ensured he got the post-game headlines after ending a sweeping team move.
Slavia Prague, October 2007: Champions League Group Stage
Emirates Stadium witnessed Arsenal play at their rampageous best as Slavia Prague came to town for a European night in October 2007. It took Arsene Wenger’s side just five minutes to show the Czech team their strength through Cesc Fabregas en route to claiming a 7-0 win.
Their total demolition of Slavia Prague remains Arsenal’s biggest win in Europe so far in front of 60,000 fans. Fabregas fired the ball home from Aleksandr Hleb’s pass before Hleb drew a David Hubacek own goal. An 18-year-old Theo Walcott even made it 3-0 before the break.
It marked Walcott’s maiden goal in the Champions League and he even bagged a brace after another Hleb assist. Fabregas also turned provider to see Hleb also get on the scoresheet on either side of Walcott’s efforts. While Walcott punished the visitors again to assist Fabregas.
Hleb, Fabregas and Walcott ran riot at home to Slavia Prague but Arsenal were not done yet. Emmanuel Eboue put the ball on a plate for Nicklas Bendtner to tap in a seventh in the 89th minute. Arsenal may have struck more had Wenger not started resting players after an hour.
Barcelona, February 2011: Champions League, Round of 16
Deafening celebrations echoed around Emirates Stadium after Arsenal enjoyed one of their best European nights to date against FC Barcelona in February 2011. Goals from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin flipped the script in north London after David Villa’s early strike.
Villa handed the Blaugrana the lead only 26 minutes in their Champions League last 16 trip. It looked likely to be enough for Barcelona to take a slender advantage back to Cap Nou, as well. But Jack Wilshere’s finest hour in an Arsenal shirt ensured the Gunners held the edge.
Barcelona faced Arsenal with an imperious engine room of Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. But Wilshere shrugged off the Spain legends to overcome Lionel Messi slipping a ball through to Villa to score. The 19-year-old heroically ran the show against all-time icons.
Wilshere took on any Barcelona player who stood in his way as Arsenal sought revenge for losing to the Catalan club in the last 16 the year before. Van Persie would draw the tie level when he squeezed a shot home at Victor Valdes’ near post before Arshavin fired another in.
Arshavin offered a reminder of why he was once Arsenal’s record signing after Wilshere fed Cesc Fabregas, who quickly found Samir Nasri to continue a rapid counterattack. Barcelona then left Arshavin open on the edge of the box to roll his shot home into the bottom corner.
AC Milan, March 2012: Champions League, Round of 16
AC Milan visited Emirates Stadium in March 2012 expecting to breeze into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after stunning Arsenal 4-0 in the first leg at San Siro. Yet the Italian giants were instead met with one of the best nights of European football in Arsenal’s history.
Arsene Wenger refused to accept defeat and seek a damage limitation operation at home to the Rossoneri. Instead, the Gunners stunned AC Milan with a first-half blitz which put the tie on the edge. Centre-half Laurent Koscielny also started Arsenal’s reply after seven minutes.
Koscielny headed home to ignite the spark of optimism in north London that Tomas Rosicky erupted come 26 minutes. They gave the Emirates belief in their dreams of a miracle before Robin van Persie converted a penalty in the 43rd minute and caused mayhem in the stands.
Only three teams had ever achieved a four-goal comeback in the history of the Champions League before Arsenal faced AC Milan. But Arsenal’s efforts were ultimately all in vain as the Rossoneri’s advantage from the first leg was too much and saw them progress on aggregate.
Bayern Munich, October 2015: Champions League Group Stage
Bayern Munich ended Arsenal’s Champions League run in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons in the round of 16. But UEFA gave the Gunners a shot at revenge during the 2015/16 edition of its elite club competition after drawing the teams together again during the group stage.
It was a chance Arsene Wenger’s men seized when Der FCB returned to Emirates Stadium in October 2015, too. It was also a chance the Gunners needed after losing to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos in their opening group stage matches to jeopardise their future prospects.
Arsenal knew it would be hard to beat Bayern Munich with Manuel Neuer at the peak of his powers in the away goal. The Germany hero also frustrated Theo Walcott with an incredible goal-line save. But it was through Neuer that Arsenal, eventually, found their way through.
Neuer rashly rushed off his line to collect Santi Cazorla’s free-kick chipped in from near the half-way line. But the goalkeeper flapped at the ball and it dropped nicely for Olivier Giroud to bundle over the line. Arsenal were not done, either, for one of their best European nights.
Wenger became the first manager to beat Pep Guardiola’s legendary Barcelona and Bayern Munich sides. Hector Bellerin snatched upon some loose play in midfield to charge through and place the ball on a plate for Mesut Ozil to tap home the reward for Arsenal’s resilience.