Arsenal out to achieve never-before-seen Champions League feat in Atletico Madrid first leg

Arsenal volition person to bash thing that nary squad has ever done earlier if they are to assertion a first-leg pb successful their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid connected Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta's men person arrived successful the Spanish superior arsenic they cogwheel up for a blockbuster gathering with Diego Simeone's side, who eliminated Barcelona from the UCL quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, the Gunners edged retired Sporting Lisbon 1-0 to gain their summons to the last 4 for the 2nd twelvemonth running, thing nary Arsenal squad had ever managed before.

Mikel Arteta besides masterminded a tremendous 4-0 triumph implicit Atletico Madrid successful the league signifier of the competition, but the Rojiblancos person traditionally been a antithetic beast astatine location successful the knockout rounds.

Indeed, if Arsenal negociate to propulsion disconnected a triumph connected Wednesday evening, they would beryllium the archetypal Premier League squad to ever triumph a Champions League knockout crippled distant to Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal aiming to make Champions League past against Atletico Madrid

At some the Vicente Calderon and Estadio Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid person faced English clubs six times successful UCL knockout games and person recorded 3 wins and 3 draws successful that sequence.

Interestingly, each six of those games person besides travel against antithetic Premier League teams successful Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Leicester City and astir precocious Tottenham Hotspur.

Simeone's broadside memorably battered Spurs 5-2 successful the past 16 archetypal leg, portion Liverpool (2019-20) and Leicester City (2016-17) some suffered 1-0 knockout defeats distant to Atletico.

A 0-0 stalemate with Chelsea successful 2013-14 kicked disconnected that series for the Spanish giants, who besides drew 1-1 with Man Utd successful the 2021-22 past 16 and 0-0 with Man City successful the quarter-finals of the aforesaid edition.

However, Arsenal bash not request to triumph to adjacent a nine grounds of their own, arsenic they are 1 gully oregon triumph distant from matching their all-time champion of 13 consecutive Champions League games unbeaten, which they managed during their tally to the last successful 2005-06.

Mikel Arteta issues quadruple Arsenal wounded update earlier Atletico Madrid

After landing successful Madrid, Arteta was quizzed connected the Arsenal wounded concern aft receiving 2 boosts and 2 blows successful Tuesday's last grooming session.

The Gunners brag confirmed that Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori were some acceptable and raring to go, but Kai Havertz is sidelined with the wounded helium sustained against Newcastle United.

Furthermore, Jurrien Timber (groin) is inactive sidelined, and Arteta could not springiness a timeframe connected the Dutchman's instrumentality to action.

"We don't cognize yet," Arteta replied erstwhile asked erstwhile Timber could return. "He's doing immoderate worldly connected the transportation astatine the moment, but we request to get the gears up and beryllium capable to bash much things earlier helium tin vie with us."

The Spaniard besides refused to remark connected reports linking Arsenal with Atletico's Julian Alvarez, who is already connected 9 Champions League goals for the season.