Arsenal’s performances in recent campaigns can best be described as inconsistent.
The 13-time winners last won the league in 2004, and other than the FA Cup last season have finished every campaign since then without a trophy.
Photo via ESPN
But one thing that Gunners fans could always count on, was their team’s ability to qualify for Europe – be it in the Champions League, Europa League or the old UEFA Cup.
Domestic troubles aside, Arsenal have always managed to participate in European football for the past 25 seasons in a row, a run that stretches all the way back to 1995/96.
Now, however, that proud record could be about to come to an end.
Photo via Reuters
The Gunners were eliminated from this season’s Europa League by Villarreal…losing 2-1 over both legs of the semi-final.
With Mikel Arteta’s side currently sitting ninth in the EPL standings…winning the Europa League was their only hope of getting into Europe next season. (Europa League winners gain automatic entry into the following season’s Champions League)
This leaves Arsenal needing a miracle – the have to win their four remaining Premiership matches AND hope that other result go their way in order to sneak into the Europa League qualifying places.
Failure to do so will not only end a proud quarter-of-a-century streak in Europe…but also, in all likelihood, spell the end of Arteta’s tenure at the Emirates.
By: Nicholas Darren John
