Arsenal will need to overcome the history books if they are to be crowned Europa League champions.
The Gunners face off with Chelsea in the final of the competition in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday.
It is Arsenal’s first European final since 2006, but will be the first time they’ve met English opposition in the last two – which doesn’t bode well for them.
As in the six matches they’ve contested with fellow English clubs in continental competitions, the Gunners have NEVER won.
Their record currently stands at four losses and two draws from all the encounters.
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In fact, it was Chelsea who inflicted one of the more memorable defeats back in 2004, when Wayne Bridge’s late winner knocked them out of the Champions League quarter-finals.
Since then, Arsenal have also been beaten by Liverpool and twice by Manchester United .
Arsenal’s form in Europe has been pretty unsuccessful in general since that ’06 final loss to Barcelona – bar reaching the Europa League semi-finals on two occasions.
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The clash with Chelsea gives them the opportunity to set the record straight however, with boss Unai Emery looking to win the competition for the fourth time in his managerial career.
Chelsea are hoping to repeat their 2013 success though by winning the final and stopping Arsenal qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
One player who is hellbent on thwarting the Gunners celebrations is Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta.
Arsenal are said to have already made plans for an open-top bus parade through north London 24 hours after the final, should they win.
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
But Azpilicueta made clear his desire to put those plans on ice.
“Hopefully we can ruin it [the parade],” Azpilicueta said. “Our job is to play the game and win the trophy.
“We didn’t plan a parade, but that doesn’t mean we’re not hungry and determined to win the trophy.
“We’ll go with everything, the last game of a long season. When you have a trophy to play for, you get energy from everywhere. Hopefully we can get our hands on it.”
