Arsenal have experienced everything in the Champions League - except win it... and Arsene Wenger's men could be heading out at the group stage for the first time in 15 years

By Chris Wheeler for MailOnline

Published: 06:49 EST, 19 October 2015 | Updated: 14:22 EST, 19 October 2015

No club has grown so familiar with Champions League failure quite like Arsenal. Over 18 long, barren years in Europe’s top competition, Arsene Wenger’s teams have experienced just about every manner of falling short imaginable. Heartbreak, heroic defeat, humiliation. You name it, Arsenal have done it.

Not since the Gunners’ first two forays into the Champions League back in 1999 and 2000 have they gone out at the first group stage, however. That fate looms large this season after Wenger’s side lost their opening two Group F fixtures to Dinamo Zagreb and then, disastrously, to an Olympaicos team that had never won in England before.

That their next two games are against Bayern Munich, starting at the Emirates on Tuesday night, only adds to the daunting task now facing Wenger and his players once again. 

Arsenal's players train on Monday after their win over Watford on Saturday and ahead of their Champions League game with Bayern 

Arsenal's players train on Monday after their win over Watford on Saturday and ahead of their Champions League game with Bayern 

Manager Arsene Wenger watches on at training as Arsenal go into the game without a point in the Champions League from two games

Manager Arsene Wenger watches on at training as Arsenal go into the game without a point in the Champions League from two games

Wenger talks to former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires during training at their London Colney base

Arsenal's players warm-up ahead of the crunch Champions League game with Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening

Arsenal's players warm-up ahead of the crunch Champions League game with Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening

The Germans flew into London on Sunday night after maintaining their 100 per cent record in the Bundesliga this season with victory at Werder Bremen. Those nine wins have produced 29 goals – the most across Europe’s top five leagues – with just four conceded.

Their start to the league campaign has broken Bundesliga records and even at this early stage of the season they are seven points clear of second place Borussia Dortmund.

It has been a similar story in the Champions League. Played two, won two. Eight goals for and none against.

In Robert Lewandowski, Bayern have a striker in the form of his life – 22 goals in 16 games for club and country so far this season, including 15 in his last seven.

So is it a case of stop Lewandowski, stop Bayern? Well, not exactly as Thomas Muller has scored 11 goals this season and Mario Gotze has four. In fact, nine different players have scored 38 goals between them this season. Compare that to Arsenal and seven players have scored 20 goals between them this season with Alexis Sanchez leading the way with seven.

In short, the Germans are not a team to be playing twice in the midst of a Champions League crisis. Of course, it would be entirely in keeping with Arsenal’s schizophrenic nature in this competition to produce a shock to keep their hopes alive.

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey controls the ball as Theo Walcott (left) and Per Mertesacker (right) look on

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey controls the ball as Theo Walcott (left) and Per Mertesacker (right) look on

Wenge looks on during an Arsenal training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich

Wenge looks on during an Arsenal training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez (centre) alongside teammates Santi Cazorla (left) and Olivier Giroud (right) during training

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez (centre) alongside teammates Santi Cazorla (left) and Olivier Giroud (right) during training

Arsenal players warm up during an Arsenal training session ahead of their important Champions League game with Bayern Munich

Arsenal players warm up during an Arsenal training session ahead of their important Champions League game with Bayern Munich

But here’s a thought. Maybe a swift demise may not be the worst thing. Maybe, after moving to second place in the Premier League with Saturday’s 3-0 win at Watford, retreating from Europe at this early stage may be for the best.

Wenger himself spoke of the negative effects of playing Champions League football in March following a victory in Monaco that failed to prevent a typically heroic exit at the last 16 stage on the away goals rule.

‘Maybe it would be better not to pass the group phase and play the Europa League than to be eliminated in the last 16,’ said the Frenchman. ‘We would have more chances to win a title.’

Wenger was talking about winning the Europa League instead, but the same could be true of the Premier League.

Bayern Munich's midfielder Thomas Muller scores the only goal of the game against Werder Bremen to maintain their 100 per cent record

Bayern Munich's midfielder Thomas Muller scores the only goal of the game against Werder Bremen to maintain their 100 per cent record

Muller ensured that Bayern have not been beaten in any competition this season

Muller ensured that Bayern have not been beaten in any competition this season

Pep Guardiola is looking to win the Champions League for the first time with Bayern Munich since taking over in 2013

Pep Guardiola is looking to win the Champions League for the first time with Bayern Munich since taking over in 2013

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in 16 games for club and country this season

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in 16 games for club and country this season

He has not won the English title in 11 years. In that time, Arsenal have qualified from the group on each occasion, extending their involvement into the second half of the season. It has resulted in one appearance in the final, one in the semi-finals, two in the quarters, and seven now familiar defeats in the last 16.

Whereas Manchester United have won the Premier League title on all four occasions they reached the Champions League final, achieving dual success at home and abroad has proved more difficult for Arsenal. Even Wenger’s Invincibles could not replicate their success in Europe, going out in the quarter-finals to Chelsea in 2004.

When Chelsea stunned Bayern on their own turf to be crowned European champions in 2012, they finished sixth in the Premier League. It is not an easy balancing act.

A European trophy remains the one glaring omission from Wenger’s achievements, and that is something he is understandably desperate to put right before he leaves Arsenal.

But with another topsy-turvy Premier League season taking shape, no guarantees that all his title rivals will make it through to the knockout stage of the Champions League either, and the might of Bayern Munich standing in his way, perhaps in the long run this is one European defeat that wouldn’t hurt so much after all.

 

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