Arsenal attempt to scale Milan mountain

Arsenal FC have failed to score in their two home games against AC Milan and even a fine home record in Europe is unlikely to be enough to keep them in the UEFA Champions League.

• The Gunners were overwhelmed 4-0 at San Siro on 15 February, Robinho (2) adding to Kevin-Prince Boateng's opener and Zlatan Ibrahimović sealing Arsenal's heaviest European defeat with a late penalty.

• Arsenal will attempt to do what only three clubs have previously managed in UEFA competition – recover a four-goal first-leg deficit. Real Madrid CF lost 5-1 at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1985/86 UEFA Cup third round, winning the return 4-0, while Leixões SC (against FC La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1961/62 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round) and FK Partizan (Queens Park Rangers FC, 1984/85 UEFA Cup second round) overturned 6-2 away losses with 5-0 and 4-0 home victories respectively.

• Milan themselves hold the record for the biggest first-leg victory overturned in the UEFA Champions League era, losing 4-0 at RC Deportivo La Coruña in the 2003/04 quarter-finals having won 4-1 at home.

• The Rossoneri have suffered recent UEFA Champions League last-16 defeats against Premier League opponents, losing to Tottenham Hotspur FC 12 months ago and Manchester United FC after being elimintated by Arsenal in 2007/08.

Previous meetings
• Four years ago, when Milan were defending champions, the London first leg ended goalless, Arsène Wenger's team progressing with late goals from Cesc Fàbregas (84) and Emmanuel Adebayor (90+2) at San Siro.

• The teams in London on 20 February 2008 were:
Arsenal: Lehmann, Sagna, Gallas, Touré (Senderos 7), Clichy, Fàbregas, Hleb, Flamini, Eboué (Walcott 90), Eduardo (Bendtner 74), Adebayor.
Milan: Kalac, Oddo, Nesta (Jankulovski 50), Maldini, Kaladze, Gattuso, Seedorf (Emerson 86), Pirlo, Kaká, Ambrosini, Pato (Gilardino 77).

• The only other meeting between the teams came in the UEFA Super Cup in February 1995 when Milan won the home second leg 2-0 to take the trophy by the same aggregate score.

Match background
• At home in Group F Arsenal beat Olympiacos FC and Borussia Dortmund 2-1 while their meeting with Olympique de Marseille ended scoreless. Massimiliano Allegri's Milan drew all three away games in Group H.

• The Gunners have suffered only one defeat in their last 42 home games, including qualifying rounds, in the competition – a 3-1 reverse by Manchester United in the 2008/09 semi-final – and are unbeaten in 13 home matches. The remaining games have yielded 31 victories and ten draws; the previous defeat came against Chelsea FC in the 2003/04 quarter-final second leg.

• Arsenal have prevailed only twice in ten UEFA competition ties after losing the away first leg, defeating HNK Hajduk Split (1978/79 UEFA Cup second round, 1-0 at home) and FC Porto at this stage of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League (5-0 at home), both after 2-1 away losses.

• The 1995 Milan defeat was the only time Arsenal were bested by Italian opponents in eight knockout ties. In this season's play-offs they beat Udinese Calcio 1-0 at home and 2-1 away; Theo Walcott scored in each game with Robin van Persie also on target in Italy.

• In 13 home games against Italian opponents Arsenal have won seven and lost two; the most recent reverse came against FC Internazionale Milano, who triumphed 3-0 in the 2003/04 group stage, the last time Arsenal succumbed at home to non-English opponents.

• When Milan won at Manchester United in this stage of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League it was their first win in England after nine fruitless attempts. Their away record is now W1 D6 L8.

Team ties
• Ibrahimović scored twice to give Barcelona a 2-0 lead at Arsenal in the 2009/10 quarter-final first leg. The Gunners levelled on the night but lost the return 4-1.

• Robinho was on target in Manchester City FC's 3-0 home victory over Arsenal in November 2008.

• Van Persie, Mark van Bommel, Urby Emanuelson and Clarence Seedorf have all played together with the Netherlands.

• Emanuelson and Thomas Vermaelen were team-mates at AFC Ajax between 2005 and 2009.