The Emirates Stadium opened in 2006 and Arsenal have only played one other Champions League semi-final there, which ended in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United in 2009 - a match that is remembered for Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-range free-kick after just 11 minutes.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is urging his players to believe they can win the Champions League for the first time because they have already beaten “the best opposition you can face in the competition.

Arsenal will miss Partey’s physical presence, which was an asset when they beat PSG in October, and Merino will need to live up to his nickname of the ‘Duel Monster’ to stop Joao Neves and Vitinha running the show. The midfield battle will be key, but not as intriguing as the one out wide.