How can Arsenal reach the UEFA Champions League final? Route to Wembley examined

After seven years of absence from the UEFA Champions League, Arsenal returned to Europe's premier continental competition this season.

The Gunners are aiming to win their first European trophy since the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1994, but will have to overcome the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid if they want to be crowned champions.

With plenty of challenges on the horizon, how can the Gunners make it to the final at Wembley come the end of the season?

Arsenal's 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage performance

Arsenal may have spent a number of years away from the Champions League, but they took little time to rediscover their mojo.

The Gunners eased to a 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in their Group B opener and, despite a 2-1 defeat to Lens in their second match of the competition, they recovered with victories home and away against Sevilla.

Mikel Arteta's side then romped to an impressive 6-0 thrashing of Lens at the Emirates Stadium in which six different players found the back of the net, ending the group with a 1-1 draw at PSV having already secured top spot.

Arsenal's group stage results

Arsenal's group stage standings

2023/24 UEFA Champions League last 16

Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League knockout phase with little fuss and were seemingly handed one of the more favourable draws of the last 16.

FC Porto, however, proved to be fierce opposition for the Gunners, who were aiming to secure their first quarter-final berth in this competition since 2010.

A 1-0 defeat in Portugal meant Arsenal were forced to overcome the deficit on home soil, and they just about got over the line thanks to a pair of David Raya saves in the penalty shootout. Leandro Trossard had earlier restored parity in the tie.

Last 16

2023/24 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals

After scraping past Sergio Conceicao's well-drilled outfit, Arsenal will meet a familiar foe in the last eight. Bayern Munich knocked Arsenal out of this competition on three occasions between 2013 and 2017, with the two sides meeting for the first time in the quarter-finals this time around.

Bayern's reign of dominance in Germany will come to an end this season thanks to Bayer Leverkusen's dominant form in the Bundesliga but they still showed their quality during the first-leg draw with the Gunners at the Emirates.

Bukayo Saka's early strike looked to have set the Gunners, favourites for the tie ahead of kick-off, on their way to victory in north London. However, a 76th-minute equaliser was needed from Trossard after Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane put Thomas Tuchel's side ahead at half-time.

Arsenal now need a convincing performance in the away game to reach the final four. Their only victory at the Allianz Arena came in 2013, with their last two trips ending in 5-1 defeats in 2015 and 2017.

2023/24 UEFA Champions League semi-finals

Arsenal will have to do something that they haven't done since 2008/09 if they want to be successful in this season's competition and that's reach the final four. They have only made it to the semi-finals twice before in the Champions League, losing both legs to Manchester United last time out.

This year, the semi-final first leg will commence on 30 April/1 May, while second legs will take place on 7/8 May.

The Gunners have already learned their semi-final opponents and it doesn't get much tougher. Should they bypass Bayern, Arsenal will face Real Madrid or Manchester City in the last four.

2023/24 UEFA Champions League final

It won't be a long trip to for Arsenal to this season's Champions League final venue, with the showpiece event taking place at Wembley on 1 June.

If the Gunners can run through their knockout stage gauntlet, they could book their spot in the last two for only the second time. Arsenal made it to the final in 2005/06 but lost 2-1 to Barcelona after Jens Lehmann's early red card.

Arsenal's most recent trip to Wembley came in the Community Shield at the start of the season, Arteta's men beating treble-winners Man City on penalties.

2023/24 UEFA Champions League round dates

Arsenal's UEFA Champions League scorers

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