Champions League triumph should mean more to Arsenal than EPL title

Arsenal finally reached a Champions League quarterfinal once again by edging Porto in the competition Tuesday night. Both teams won their home matches 1-0 in the two-legged affair, which meant that penalties would ultimately decide the winner.

The Gunners eventually triumphed in the shootout 4-2 after David Raya managed to stop two of Porto’s shots. Arsenal’s players, on the other hand, converted all of their tries. It is the first time since 2010 that Arsenal has qualified for the quarterfinals of the major European tournament. The dramatic victory was also the first-ever competitive shootout win for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

After the epic match, Raya was asked directly by the CBS Sports crew which was the most important competition of the season. Like other top English teams, Arsenal began their campaign with opportunities to win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.

The goalkeeper elected to go with a diplomatic answer by saying all of them were just as important. Nevertheless, some competitions are a little more meaningful than others. The pitchside analysts asked Bukayo Saka a similar question. The highly rated winger proclaimed that while all of the contests are important, he would prefer to win the Premier League.

The Gunners have never collected a Champions League trophy

The debate between the Champions League and Premier League on which contest is more important varies depending on who you ask. They are, however, undoubtedly the top two prizes for English top-flight teams. As far as Arsenal is concerned, they have not collected a Premier League title since 2004. While the club will want to end this unwanted streak this year, the Gunners have never won a Champions League title.

Because of this, many of those associated with Arsenal would likely choose a European title over a domestic championship if they could. The Gunners have had a series of heartbreaks in the Champions League over the years as well, particularly in 2006 and 2011.

Both of these matchups in the tournament happened to come against Barcelona. The Spanish side edged Arsenal in the 2006 final thanks to two second-half goals. They then topped the Gunners again in the 2010/11 round of 16 after Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was sent off bizarrely.

Arsenal potentially preferring a triumph in the Champions League is similar, but in reverse, to a recent position by Liverpool. The Reds collected their sixth Champions League title in 2019 but were desperately trying to beat out Manchester City for a Premier League trophy in the same season. Liverpool had previously not been crowned as English champions in 30 years. Nevertheless, Jurgen Klopp’s club eventually grabbed their goal of domestic success the following year.

Arsenal still alive in both massive competitions late in the season

The Gunners enter the final stretch of the current campaign with both the Champions League and Premier League trophies available. Competing in these competitions with so much on the line will surely be a tough task. This pressure compounds further when considering the average age of the squad. The Gunners currently have the second-youngest team in the entire English top flight.

Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta’s squad will have to mature quickly to win either title. Arsenal undoubtedly learned from their previous mistakes down the home stretch last season. City topped the Gunners in the final Premier League table, despite Arsenal leading as late as April 25th.

Arteta’s team now finds itself in a three-way battle for the English title alongside Liverpool and City. The trio has just one total point. Arsenal fans will be optimistically hoping for triumphs in both competitions in May, but sensibly ready to settle for just one of the titles. Although the club welcomes either trophy, a Champions League success may mean a little bit more.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.