Arsenal is one of Europe's most powerful clubs so the absence of the Champions League trophy from the trophy cabinet is a sore point. The Gunners are one of five members of the G14 (with 18 members) not to have won domestic football's biggest prize.
Arsenal's first participation in the tournament came in 1971. It was drawn to face Norwegian side Strømsgodset in the first round and it made light of them defeating them 7-1 on aggregate. Arsenal was on a run and in the second round hammered Swiss side Grasshopper 5-0. In the quarter finals they were drawn with Ajax. The Dutch were too strong and would go on to win the first of three successive European Cups. Arsenal did well in Amsterdam only losing 2-1 but in the return leg at Highbury, Ajax won 1-0 to knock out Arsenal.
It would be a 20 year break until Arsenal would return to the European Cup. It didn't win the league until 1990 but then English clubs were still banned from Europe. Arsenal finally made its comeback when it won the league in 1991. In the first round, it was drawn to play Austrian side, FK Austrian Wein. The Viennese were out of their depth and lost 6-2 on aggregate. Next up were Benfica, while they weren't a strong side, they have the benefit of a rich European history and tradition. It was all locked up 2-2 after two legs and Benfica broke free in extra time. It scored and then added another won to win 4-2.
This was the last year of the European Cup until it changed to the Champions League. Arsenal though would not see Champions League action until 1998-99. Arsene Wenger was now in charge at Highbury and it was his goal to bring the first manager to bring the trophy back to the club.
Arsenal found itself in a group containing Lens, Panathinaikos and Dynamo Kiev. The Ukranians were somewhat of an unknown quantity, but contained young guns such as Andriy Shevchenko and Serhiy Rebrov.
Arsenal were playing its home games at Wembley and looked to be sailing against the Ukranians. A Dennis Bergkamp goal put the hosts up only for Rebrov to equalise in the 90th minute. This was a bad result for the Gunners but not as bad as the 1-0 loss they suffered to Lens at Wembley. Its desire to have a bigger attendance may have cost it in terms of a home ground advantage.
Arsenal was back two years later. In its group were Lazio, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sparta Prague. It won its first three games and then drew away to Lazio to have an impressive 10 points after four games. Even a loss to Donetsk in its last game didn't prevent it from topping the group.
Its privilege for doing so was to be placed in a group with Bayern Munich, Lyon and Spartak Moscow. The top two from each group advanced to the quarter-finals. When Arsenal lost its last group game to Bayern Munich it was out of the tournament if Lyon could win in Moscow. It could only manage a draw, meaning Arsenal would progress.
Arsenal met Valencia in the quarter-finals. It won the opening leg 2-1 at Highbury but this away goal would come back to bite them when Valencia won the second leg 1-0. The Spaniards would advance on away goals.
The next year, Arsenal found themselves again in a group containing Panathinaikos and with them were Mallorca and Schalke. The Greeks topped the group and Arsenal finished second by virtue of goal difference.
Arsenal was then placed in a group containing Juventus, Deportivo La Coruña and Bayer Leverkusen. After a strong opening, Arsenal needed a win away to Juventus in its final game to advance through to the final eight. It lost 1-0 and so were out.
The next year, Arsenal topped its opening group containing Borussia Dortmund, Auxerre and PSV Eindhoven. The next round saw it with Valencia, Ajax and Roma. It only required a point in Valencia but couldn't manage it and so was out. So close but again so far.
The following year saw the abandonment of the second group stage which was fantastic for Arsenal as it had been its Achilles heel. It got past Celta Vigo in the Round of 16 before a late Wayne Bridge goal saw Chelsea knock it out.
The next year Bayern Munich eliminated it in the opening knockout round. It won the second leg 1-0 but the much needed second goal never came.
In 2005-06 Arsenal wanted to go all the way and so almost got there. It got past Real Madrid and Juventus before meeting Villareal in the semi-finals. Arsenal won the opening match 1-0 and then won the second 0-0 but not before Jens Lehman saved a last minute Juan Roman Riquelme penalty.
Lehman went from hero to villain when he was sent off in the final against Barcelona in Paris. He was sent off in the 18th minute and despite this Arsenal went to the half-time break with a 1-0 lead. The extra man advantage proved too much for the London side and their resistance was finally broken down in the 76th minute. The winner came four minutes later.
Since then Arsenal have been knocked out by PSV in the Round of 16; Liverpool in the quarter finals and Manchester United in the semi-finals.
Every year there seems to be a different team that knocks them out, but yet they keep on striving for the one year where they are the last ones standing.