For the first time in 14 years, Arsenal has secured their spot and advanced to the quarter-final round of the UEFA Champions League. In the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 match, the Gunners went scoreless against Porto as the Portuguese-based club sealed a 1-0 win.
Last night, in the second leg of the Round of 16 tournament, the London-based football club clinched a 1-0 victory over FC Porto and triumphed 4-2 on penalties, securing their spot in the quarter-finals.
The last time Arsenal qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals was in 2010 when they beat that same FC Porto in the Round of 16 matches. The London-based team moved to the quarter-finals, where they competed head-to-head against FC Barcelona. In the second leg of the quarter-finals, the Gunners failed to advance to the semi-finals as Barcelona triumphed 4-1 in the second match.
Arsenal is leading the Premier League as the North Londoners hold the No. 1 spot with a record of 20-4-4. Thanks to their success in the Premier League this season, the Gunners qualified for the Champions League Group Stage and finished top of their group, advancing the club into the Round of 16.
This was the North Londoners’ first time to advance to the Round of 16 since the 2016-2017 season. Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has continued playing a crucial role in his club’s success.
Arsenal qualify for the Champions League Round of 16 for the first time since the 2016-17 season 📈 pic.twitter.com/R25oNaxJrl
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) November 29, 2023
Arteta had a lengthy professional football career and signed a 4-year contract with the North London club on August 31, 2011. The Spanish native was named the club’s vice-captain in the 2012-2013 season and led his team to clinch the 2013-2014 FA Cup title as they triumphed over Hull City 3-2.
Ahead of the 2014-2015 football season, Arteta was named Arsenal’s new club captain after his success on the team, and for the second time, led his team to the FA Cup finals, where they beat Aston Villa 4-0, bringing the 2014-2015 title to North London.
The Spanish native retired from football in 2016 and joined Manchester City as an assistant manager under Pep Guardiola. After three years as the assistant manager for Manchester City, the Gunners poached the prodigy and signed him to a three-and-a-half-year deal as head coach in December 2019.
Shortly after being appointed head coach of the North Londoners, Arteta secured his first head coach win on New Year’s Day as Arsenal triumphed over Manchester United 2-0.
In his first season as head coach, Arteta led his team to clinch the 2019-2020 FA Cup when they beat Chelsea 2-1. Arteta became the first person in club history to win an FA Cup as a captain and manager of the Gunners. The Spaniard also became the first head coach to win a trophy in his first season with Arsenal since George Graham accomplished this feat in the 1986-1987 season.
Various defeats swiftly overshadowed the Spanish native’s success in his first season. In the 2020-2021 season, the Gunners lost to Southampton in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Arsenal also finished the season in eighth place in the Premier League, ending their 25-year streak of appearing in European competitions.
The Gunners made their comeback in the 2022-2023 season by starting strong and winning their first five Premier League matches of the season. This feat caused Arteta to become the 11th manager to have won the first five Premier League games of the season, and he received the Premier League Manager of the Month award that August.
The Spanish native went on to have a successful season as the club manager. On March 12, 2023, Arteta recorded his 100th win as head coach when Arsenal triumphed over Fulham 3-0. This marked the Spanish native’s 100th win out of 168 games, awarding him the greatest win percentage out of any Arsenal manager. Under Arteta’s leadership, the Gunners finished second in the Premier League season.
Most wins in their first 200 games in charge of Arsenal:
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 25, 2023
◉ 116 – Mikel Arteta
◎ 111 – Arsene Wenger
◎ 106 – George Graham
Top of the list and top of the table. 🔝 pic.twitter.com/yxqiAov8Bs
This season, the 41-year-old aims to change the fate of his club. Arteta has been successful so far as Arsenal finally made the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years and is at the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal’s opponent in the Champions League quarter-finals round has yet to be set, as the draw will take place Tthis Friday. Several elite teams are entering the draw as six teams have secured their fate in the quarter-finals round, and two more clubs will secure their spot today. The Gunners could match up against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, or Real Madrid.
If Arsenal fails to clinch the Champions League title, they have a shot at clinching the Premier League trophy. With ten games left in the Premier League season, Arsenal has yet to secure their fate as the 2023-2024 Premier League title holders. While the Gunners hold the No. 1 spot in the Premier League, Manchester City has the odds in their favor. On the money line, Manchester City sits at +120, Liverpool is +225, and Arsenal sits at +250. The remainder of the season is uncertain, and Arsenal could change the odds in their favor.
Can Arsenal go all the way and win both the Champions League and Premier League titles this 2023-2024 season under Arteta’s guidance?
