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Without taking anything for granted, it would appear as though Arsenal have a favourable Champions League quarter-final tie. Having dispatched of Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta's team will take on Sporting CP in the last eight, the Portuguese champions having reached this stage of the European Cup for the first time in 43 years. Of everyone the Gunners have ever met in UEFA competition, Sporting are the club they've faced most frequently without losing.
The other quarter-finals matchups are Paris Saint-German vs Liverpool, Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich and Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid, with the Gunners hoping to progress through to face the winners of the all-Spanish affair. Thus, Sporting are probably the least fancied of the octet, albeit they'll of course be no push-overs. Well, the 2,500 Gooners who will be venturing to Lisbon just after Easter will be pleased to learn of their side's excellent record against the Leões.
Arsenal's previous results vs Sporting CP
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 2nd round 69/70: Sporting 0-0 Arsenal - Estádio José Alvalade (old).
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 2nd round 69/70: Arsenal 3-0 Sporting - Highbury
- Europa League group stages 2018. Sporting 0-1 Arsenal - Estádio José Alvalade.
- Europa League group stages 2018. Arsenal 0-0 Sporting - Emirates Stadium.
- Europa League round of 16 2023. Sporting 2-2 Arsenal - Estádio José Alvalade.
- Europa League round of 16 2023. Arsenal 1-1 Sporting - Emirates Stadium.
- Champions League league phase 2024. Sporting 1-5 Arsenal - Estádio José Alvalade.
Arsenal have met Sporting seven times and are yet to taste defeat, which is the most they've taken on any European opponent without losing. Now, the caveat is that Rúben Amorim's team dumped Arteta's side out of the Europa League in March 2023, this after a penalty shootout, but technically both legs were drawn.
So, who else have the Gunners met in UEFA competition multiple times without losing?
Opponents Arsenal have faced 3+ times in Europe without losing
Opponent | Meetings | Wins | Draws | Loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sporting | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
Sparta Prague | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Standard Liège | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Fenerbahçe | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
Slavia Prague | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Marseille | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Real Madrid | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Leverkusen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Roma | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Lazio | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
There are ten clubs Arsenal have met on three or more occasions in UEFA competition and never lost. This includes the recently-vanquished Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Slavia Prague, who Arteta's team beat in early-November during the league phase. Across the Czech capital, they boast a 100% record vs Sparta Prague, winning all six encounters, scoring 15 goals, including Thierry Henry's brace at Stadion Letná in October 2005 to become the club's all-time record scorer, breaking Ian Wright's record.
Most notably, however, Arsenal have never lost against Real Madrid, ousting los Blancos en route to the final in 2006 and in last season's quarter-finals; Declan Rice's two free-kicks will live long in the memory. Well, perhaps that will bode well if the Premier League leaders were to meet the record, 15-time champions of Europe in Budapest towards the end of May.
They will have to take care of the Primeira Liga champions and then either Barcelona or Atlético first, but their record against Sporting certainly offers those of a superstitious disposition encouragement.