ARSENAL fielded a future Manchester United flop and TWO World Cup winners the last time they faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The Gunners edged past Porto on penalties this week after a 1-1 aggregate score as David Raya proved to be the shoot-out hero.
Theo Walcott scored the last time Arsenal faced Bayern Munich
Arsene Wenger was in charge as the Gunners were thumped 10-2 on aggregrate
That secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years.
After beating Porto in 2010, Arsenal went on to suffer seven-consecutive exits in the last 16 of the competition.
They also suffered some embarrassing humblings during that period, which includes their last appearance at that stage in 2017 when they were hammered 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.
Now they are back in the deep end of the Champions League, fans were left concerned when a simulated draw handed them a nightmare route to Wembley on June 1.
And things did not get any better when they discovered who they would be playing next – old rivals Bayern with ex-Tottenham nemesis Harry Kane leading their аttаck.
Supporters were raging that it was a Chelsea legend that picked them out with Bayern – especially since Arsenal have lost each of their last three games against Bayern 5-1.
Arsene Wenger was in charge the last time that the two teams collided in the Champions League.
And here we take a look at the starting XI he picked for that 5-1 thumping at the Emirates back in March 2017:
DAVID OSPINA
The Colombian goalkeeper captains his country and currently plays for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Joined Arsenal in 2014 and eventually left for Napoli after a loan there in 2019, although he did depart with two FA Cup winners’ medals.
HECTOR BELLERIN
The Spanish right-back was a fan favourite but a number of ιnjury problems hindered him throughout his time at the Emirates.
He returned to his first club Barcelona in 2022 after a stint on loan at Betis, then had a brief spell at Sporting Lisbon but is now back permanently at Betis.
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI
Arrived at Arsenal in 2016, two years after winning the World Cup with Germany.
Spent five years at the Emirates and played over 100 times in the Premier League but he is now without a club after leaving Levante last summer.
LAURENT KOSCIELNY
Spent nine years at Arsenal and lifted the FA Cup three times but this night against Bayern was one to forget.
With Arsenal leading 1-0, he was sent-off moments after half-time as his team-mates went on to collapse.
The French centre-half left for Bordeaux in 2019 and ended his playing days there following three seasons.
NACHO MONREAL
The Spanish left-back had six years at Arsenal before returning to his homeland to end his career with Real Sociedad.
Another player to enjoy three FA Cup triumphs with the Gunners.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
The now-30-year-old England international midfielder now plays in Turkey for Besiktas.
He enjoyed six years at Arsenal and three FA Cup wins at the Emirates but left for Liverpool in 2017.
Despite suffering Champions League humiliation this night, he went on to win the competition with the Reds in 2019 and was also a runner-up in 2022.
GRANIT XHAKA
He was the last member of this team to depart Arsenal after he left last summer to sign for Bayern Leverkusen.
The Swiss midfielder, 31, had only joined the Gunners at the start of that season but played over 250 times for the club.
Currently, he is an important pillar in Xabi Alonso’s team in their magical journey to overthrow Bayern Munich
AARON RAMSEY
A huge fan favourite after his FA Cup Final exploits and spent 11 years in North London after signing as a teenager from Cardiff.
The Welsh legend, 33, left for Juventus in 2019 and later played for Rangers and Nice before returning to Cardiff last summer in the Championship.
THEO WALCOTT
The ex-England attacker actually fired Arsenal, whom he spent 12 years with, into the lead this evening against Bayern before the second half onslaught.
Walcott snubbed a big-money Saudi deal in August and instead decided to retire aged 34 after two-and-a-half years back at his boyhood team Southampton.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
The Chilean was excellent for Arsenal ever-since his arrival from Barcelona in 2014.
He was sold to Manchester United in 2018 but that transfer turned into a nightmare for the forward.
Sanchez eventually left for Inter Milan and then had one season at Marseille before returning to the Italian club last summer, where remаins now aged 35.
OLIVIER GIROUD
The Frenchman reached the pinnacle just over a year after this night as he celebrated World Cup glory in 2018.
He enjoyed six years at the eMirates but was allowed to make the stunning move to rivals Chelsea in 2018.
Giroud went on to win the Champions League with the Blues in 2021 having helped them to beаt Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League Final.
Now his country’s all-time top scorer, he is still banging them in for AC Milan in Serie A.