Arsenal in Europe can really be split into two parts – pre Arsene Wenger and post Arsene Wenger. One period was characterised by occasion forays into Europe’s second tier competitions like the Fairs Cup and Cup Winners Cup, the other by consistent appearances in the world’s premier club cup competition.

It’s true, just before Wenger came along the qualification requirement for the Champions League had been simple - win your domestic league. UEFA softened this up in order to rake in more cash, but it could be argued quite strongly that it is now a better competition with higher quality.

George Graham had only one stab at the competition because of the stricter qualification requirement, and the Heysel ban - which denied the Anfield 1989 team a go at the European Cup. Wenger has had multiple tilts at it, and this has meant a myriad of top quality games in the backyard of Europe’s finest over the past ten years.

Following the monumental performance at the San Siro earlier this month, the normally placid Arsenal official website attempted an ‘official’ review of Arsenal’s best performances in Europe to date. This got me thinking, what are the best five European performances under Wenger?

Three spring to mind immediately, with another two victories very close behind.

Those two are the humbling of one Italian giant at Highbury in a group game, and another in their own ground. In fact, the wins over Juventus and Roma that I speak of are just two sensational victories over Italian sides under Wenger. Our record in Italy is simply superb.

Arsenal’s dazzling 3-1 win over Juventus during the double-winning 2001-02 season was the first real indication that Arsenal could mix it with the cream of European football. This was a time when the Gunners, so dominant in English football, flattered to deceive in Europe.

Juventus came to Highbury still a giant. Arsenal were enjoying a great spell en route to the title, and during the game the team, buoyed by Wenger’s commitment to a new contract, tore into Juve. It really was the Freddie Ljungburg and Dennis Bergkamp show. Both players were telepathic on the night.

My recollection is that the match was billed as the night Thierry Henry was to show Juventus what a mistake they had made by playing him out of position during his years with the club. However, the images I recall were of Bergkamp and Freddie linking up for some great attacking football.

We had to wait a while for Henry, just under 12 months in fact – Roma v Arsenal at the end of 2002 was the night he showed Italy what a player he had become.

Arsenal played out of their skins for their biggest away result in Europe under Wenger. The Gunners had a horrible away record in Europe to this point, and few, including myself, fancied their chances. It seemed during this time that Arsenal could punish top sides at Highbury in the Champions League, like Juventus the season before, but could not do it away, again with Juventus the previous campaign a prime example (when they lost 1-0 to exit the tournament).

Henry’s hat-trick, after the Gunners went one down early on, was the first real indication of what was to come. The press referred to Henry as our Roman Gladiator – it was a one-man show.

Inter Milan away was the next great away win for Arsenal, and what a win. Some people argue November 2003’s 5-1 mauling of Inter in the San Siro was flattering to the Arsenal because many of the goals came late in the game when the Nerazzurri’s heads had dropped. But, when you consider Inter’s 3-0 mauling of the Gunners weeks before at Highbury, and their appearance in the previous years Champions League semi finals where they went out narrowly to arch-rivals and eventual winners AC Milan, it meant this was a significant win for the Gunners. This game is definitely for me the third best European performance under Wenger. The pressure was on, we had to win to stay in the competition after a poor start.

The second best performance has to be Real Madrid away during Arsenal’s 2005-06 campaign. Struggling domestically, Arsenal needed to win their second round tie. They drew Real away first, so really had to go there and score. They did that, and also kept a clean sheet. What more could you ask?

I watched that great game among the Spanish fans and can tell you they did not like it. Spanish fans had not really considered Arsenal a ‘big’ European side, and considered they would win the game at a canter.

Arsenal did a professional job, they nicked a goal, played some fine football, possibly could have scored another, and denied Real from ever getting into the game. Real possibly thought they could rescue the game in the second leg, but didn’t reckon on another very professional performance.

The Real trip was special because they were and are the Kings of Europe. The fans think they own the European Cup. We humbled them and possibly ushered in the end of their Galacticos era.

However, the 2-0 thrashing of AC Milan at the San Siro this season is going to take some beating. Forget all the talk of an ageing side – look at the facts.

They were the reigning European Cup holders when the game kicked off, they boast the world player of the year – and he is not an old man, in Kaka. The game took place in front of almost 80,000 Italian fans. It was the knock out stages – second leg. The pressure was certainly on because we had to score.

With the first 10 minutes taken care of, and an early storm weathered, Arsenal dominated the game and battered the Rossoneri. Every 50-50 ball was won by an Arsenal player. The Gunners dominated the midfield and won every loose ball and lost cause. The San Siro witnessed a mauling, quite possibly the end of an era again, much like the Real game. The two greatest teams in European Cup history, dumped out of the tournament, humbled in their own stadium by the mighty Arsenal.