Arsenal have not had the best of times in the Champions League in recent seasons.

Arsene Wenger’s side may well qualify for the competition every year, and they deserve immense credit for doing so, but Gunners fans would’ve been hoping for more than six successive round of 16 exits.

Wenger’s men have suffered defeats at the hands of Barcelona (twice), Bayern Munich (twice), Monaco, and AC Milan in the last six years, and in only one of those campaigns did they top the group.

That was back in the 2011/12 season, which saw them qualify as group winners ahead of Marseille, Olympiakos, and Borussia Dortmund, but the Gunners then lost to Milan in the last 16.

It’s been made abundantly clear to Arsenal just how important it is to win your Champions League group, and they have the chance to take a step a closer to doing just that when they host Paris Saint-Germain tonight.

Victory over the French champions would secure top spot in Group A and, as the Gunners look to secure an easier last 16 tie as a result, we at Shoot! decided to look back at the last time Arsenal progressed past the round of 16 stage.

It was back in 2010 when, despite losing the first leg 2-1 to Porto, they thumped the Portuguese giants 5-0 at the Emirates, with a Nicklas Bendtner hat-trick and goals from Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue securing an excellent result.

So, here is where the Arsenal XI that started that second leg are now…

Manuel Almunia

Far from the best goalkeeper Arsenal have ever had, but Manuel Almunia spent seven seasons at Arsenal between 2004 and 2011.

The Spaniard had to bide his time to become the number one at the Emirates, and usurped Jens Lehmann as Wenger’s first-choice shot-stopper in 2007 following the German’s move to Stuttgart.

For three seasons, Almunia was regularly between the sticks in North London despite several high-profile errors, and the 39-year-old retired from the game in 2014 following a short spell at Watford.

Bacary Sagna

Bacary Sagna was in his third season at Arsenal when he helped them reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and he went on to develop into a decent Premier League right-back.

The 33-year-old moved to North London in 2007 as a relative unknown, but went on to make 284 appearances for the Gunners, winning one trophy in his time at the club.

He moved in unceremonious circumstances to Manchester City in 2014, having refused to sign a contract extension at Arsenal, and remains at the Etihad to this day.

Sol Campbell

Former Tottenham centre-back Sol Campbell’s first stint at Arsenal lasted five years between 2001 and 2006, but it was in his second spell at the club in which he deputised in defence against Porto.

The former England international moved to Portsmouth in 2006, and spent three seasons at Fratton Park before a surprising move to League Two side Notts County in 2009, where he spent just one month.

Campbell was only training at Arsenal to maintain fitness having left Meadow Lane, but re-signed for the club in 2010, and it was the defender who got the goal in the first leg defeat in Porto, before playing the full 90 minutes in the 5-0 win in the second leg.

He spent just that season at the Emirates before moving to Newcastle, and then announced his retirement in 2012 before undergoing a complete career change, which saw him run for the Conservative Party nomination for the Mayor of London election, but he didn’t make the shortlist.

Thomas Vermaelen

Centre-back Thomas Vermaelen was embarking on his first season at Arsenal when he started alongside Campbell against Porto.

The Belgium international made 45 appearances – the most he made in one season for the Gunners – in the 2009/10 campaign, and was Arsenal’s main man in the centre of defence during that campaign.

He also chipped in with his fair share of goals, netting seven league goals, and was deservedly named in the PFA Team of the Year for that season.

Vermaelen secured a move to Barcelona in 2014 as he began to fall out of favour at the Emirates, but made just one appearance in his first season at the Nou Camp, and is now on loan at Roma.

Gael Clichy

Another solid full-back, and another Arsenal defender that made the move to Manchester City after a barren spell without winning a trophy at the Emirates.

The former French international was part of the ‘Invincibles’ team back in 2004, in what was his first season at the club, but didn’t become a regular feature in the side until Ashley Cole left in 2006.

He went to make over 250 appearances in his Arsenal career, before moving to Manchester City in 2011 – he went on to win the Premier League in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.

Alex Song

Former Cameroon international Alex Song became an integral part of the Arsenal midfield, and earned himself a move to Barcelona in 2012.

The 29-year-old moved to North London in 2006 following a loan spell there in 2005/06 campaign, but he didn’t become a regular in the side until 2008.

After that though, Song was crucial to the dynamic of the Arsenal midfield, and appeared 164 times in four seasons before his £15 million move to Barca in 2012.

Song returned to the Premier League on loan with West Ham in 2014 and reminded us all of his quality, before securing a permanent deal to Rubin Kazan last summer.

Abou Diaby

42 injuries and over 1500 days on the sidelines, Abou Diaby ended his nine-year spell at Arsenal back in 2015.

The former French international moved to North London in 2005, and it was clear that he had the talent necessary to command the Arsenal midfield for years to come.

However, injuries blighted his time with the Gunners, and he only reached 40 appearances in a season once in his time there, which was back in 2009/10.

Diaby made 180 appearances in ten years at Arsenal, before ending his spell by moving to Marseille in 2015.

However, he has just undergone an operation on his ankle, which will rule him out until the New Year.

Tomas Rosicky

Tomas Rosicky spent ten years at Arsenal before his contract expired in 2016, 247 appearances and 28 goals later.

Another whose time at the Emirates was disrupted by injury, the former Czech international proved when fit what a top midfielder he is, and was a regular in the side between 2006 and 2014, except the 2008/09 season, where he was ruled out of the whole campaign due to injury.

Rosicky’s Gunners career came to a disappointing end as, knowing that his contract was coming to an end, the 36-year-old suffered an injury which ruled him out of the second half of the season.

He now plays his football for Sparta Prague, where he began his career as a professional back in 1998.

Andrey Arshavin

A talented attacker who will always be remembered for scoring four at Anfield, Andrey Arshavin had a pretty successful spell at Arsenal during 2008 and 2013.

The Russian adapted to English football seamlessly, with his first season yielding six goals and seven assists from just 15 games.

This laid the foundations for the next two seasons, which saw him net 22 times and lay on 23 assists for his teammates.

Arshavin left the Emirates having scored 31 goals in 144 appearances for the side, but his great form and performances never resulted in silverware while in North London.

He left for Zenit in 2013, and is now playing his football in Kazakhstan with FC Kairat.

Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri netted the third to all but secure Arsenal’s spot in the last eight against Porto six years ago, in what was one of several great displays from the Frenchman in a Gunners shirt.

The 29-year-old joined the club in 2008 having interested Wenger for many years, and Nasri duly repaid his manager’s faith with seven goals in his first season.

However, it was in the 2010/11 season where Arsenal fans saw the best of Nasri, with the midfielder netting 15 times in 46 games.

His excellent campaign, which saw him named in the PFA Team of the Year, earned him a move to Manchester City, where he won the title in his first season at Eastlands.

Nasri is still on the books at City, but is currently on loan at Spanish side Sevilla after falling out of favour at the Etihad.

Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner received a lot of criticism prior to the Porto match, but he hit back with an excellent hat-trick to see Arsenal through to the last eight.

The Danish international netted five times in Europe that season, but was never really the world-class forward Arsenal needed to consistently challenge for major honours.

His seven seasons at the Emirates yielded just 47 goals, before he secured a permanent move to Wolfsburg in 2014.

That didn’t go particularly well either, and Bendtner is now back in England, playing his trade with Championship side Nottingham Forest.