Arsenal’s Champions League history in the Netherlands: Memorable matches and key moments

Just Arsenal News

·04 de março de 2025

Arsenal’s Champions League history in the Netherlands: Memorable matches and key moments

To get us in the mood for tonight, let’s look at the Gunners’ previous trips to the Netherlands in the Champions League.

2002-2003 – PSV 0-4 Arsenal

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Part of our 22-game unbeaten run, which crossed over two seasons, the Gunners were unstoppable in Eindhoven, helped by Gilberto Silva scoring our fastest goal in Champions League history. A group stage fixture, unfortunately overshadowed by accusations of racism, saw Thierry Henry silence the crowd with two goals.

2002-2003 – Ajax 0-0 Arsenal

This was back when UEFA were experimenting with two group stages, meaning this was our second trip to Holland that season. In a tight section, two draws with Ajax proved costly. In both games, we had enough chances for more.

2004-2005 – PSV 1-1 Arsenal

This could have been a lot worse as the Gunners played the final 30 minutes with 10 men and, incredibly, the last 12 with nine! Having gone 49 games unbeaten, there was a natural reaction when the Invincibles had to deal with the unusual feeling of losing. This had a knock-on effect on our European form, especially away from home. The visitors showed resilience to hang on to a result that kept our fate in our own hands with one game of the group stage left.

2005-2006 – Ajax 1-2 Arsenal

Little did anyone realise on our first ever European trip this season that our travels would take us all the way to the final in Paris. A consolation for the hosts when we were 2-0 up would be the last goal we would concede until we faced Barcelona. That’s an incredible 10 consecutive Champions League clean sheets.

2006-2007 – PSV 1-0 Arsenal

The Gunners were punished for being wasteful in this first leg and seemed to panic when the hosts took the lead. It meant PSV were the first team to go to the Emirates in the Champions League knockout stages with something to protect. A 1-1 draw in North London meant they advanced.

2008-2009 – Twente 0-2 Arsenal

In terms of a Champions League qualifier, getting the Dutch champions was a tough draw. There was the added narrative that they were managed by ex-England boss Steve McClaren, who was having his finest hour in Holland. Three days before the Premier League kicked off, Arsenal navigated an awkward game to make the second leg a formality.

2009-2010 – AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Arsenal

The Gunners were seconds away from a victory that would have made it three wins out of three in the group stage. It was credit to the hosts for finding the spirit to equalise in stoppage time, as they were in the middle of some serious financial issues off the pitch. A point kept us top of our group with seven points.

2023-2024 – PSV 1-1 Arsenal

These two drew with each other the last time they played, but the result should come with an asterisk. Both sides knew they had already qualified for the last 16, and aware they were already guaranteed to top the group, Mikel Arteta played a second-string line-up.

Dan Smith

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