UNDERDOGS? SO WERE WE IN 1994.. AND THE REST IS HISTORY

Stars of Arsenal's last European title back current crop to win the Double

- BY JOHN CROSS

"It was a magnificent achievement. I do find it strange that the club has not won more in Europe"

FOR a club the size of Arsenal, it is remarkable they have not enjoyed more European success.

Incredibly, Arsenal have lifted just two European trophies, the Fairs Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994. It was so long ago that neither exist anymore.

And maybe that explains why, 32 years on, the miracle of Copenhagen does not get as much credit as it deserves.

It remains an astonishing European victory carved out by a performance full of defiance, determination and glory.

The Gunners were big underdogs against the might of Parma, who possessed one of the best strike forces in Europe - Tomas Brolin, Faustino Asprilla and Gianfranco Zola - while George Graham's heroes were missing their big guns.

Ian Wright was suspended. John Jensen was injured. Martin Keown missed out after failing a late fitness test. Even David Hillier, arguably the best man-marker at the club, tried and failed to prove his fitness in a reserve game two days before.

Instead, Alan Smith, one of the club's all-time greats and top scorer in both title-winning seasons of 1989 and 1991, and Steve Morrow were two of the stars of Arsenal's last European trophy.