What second spot could mean for Arsenal in Champions League

Arsene Wenger will be ruing that slip up to Anderlecht

Tuesday's night resounding win in Turkey failed to mask what has been another underwhelming Champions League group stage for Arsenal.

The Gunners have continued their recent trend of coming through as group runners-up.

Arsenal have been hugely consistent at this level - this will be their 13th straight appearance in the last 16 since the competition was revamped from the dual group stage in 2003/04.

Wenger's side have paid a heavy price for their failure to take spot in the group stage in the past and, yet again, they will be in the line of fire when the draw takes places in Nyon on December 15.

Arsenal's Group D runner-up spot behind Borussia Dortmund means they have now failed to top their section four times in five seasons and the omens are not good.

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In the last four Champions League knockout phases, Arsenal have been eliminated at the first hurdle. The consequences of being placed in the runners-up pot are clear to Wenger and, yet, they find themselves in this position once more.

Being forced to tackle group winners in the first knockout stage has resulted in Arsenal being eliminated by Bayern Munich (twice) and Barcelona over the last four seasons.

Worst of all is that this particular group was well within the Gunners' compass.

Dortmund - in the Bundesliga's bottom three prior to their weekend win over Hoffenheim - are a pale shadow of the side that reached the Champions League final at Wembley two years ago.

Galatasaray and Anderlecht, seasoned campaigners but unlikely to trouble Europe's leading lights.

Squandering a 3-0 against the Belgians at the Emirates is likely to haunt Wenger when UEFA muddle the balls and reveal their next opponents.

Wenger's former club Monaco could represent one of the more favourable draws on paper. However, the Ligue 1 side have come through a tough section that included Bayer Leverkusen, Zenit and Benfica.

Porto, unbeaten in their six group games for the loss of only four goals, will not fear this Arsenal side on current form.

After that, things go up a notch. With Dortmund and Chelsea ruled out, Arsenal stand a strong chance of once more finding themselves with an unwanted heavyweight clash in the Last 16.

Last year's finalists Atletico and Real Madrid, along with Barcelona and Bayern Munich - 66% of the time Arsenal will face one of these sides with the added danger of playing the second leg away from home.

Will it truly surprise anyone if Alexis Sanchez is drawn to face his former Barcelona team-mates so soon after leaving the Nou Camp - the quirks of football make it appear almost like fate even now.

The Chilean has been inspired for Wenger since his summer move but how would the stumbling Arsenal defence cope with the triumvirate of Messi, Neymar and Suarez? The mind boggles.

Pep Guardiola's Bayern continue to thrive, a late defeat at the Etihad Stadium the only blemish on their copybook to date after qualification had already been secured.

Outside of that defeat to Man City, Bayern have conceded just four goals in 19 domestic and European games this season with 16 wins and three draws.

Wenger has not been able to solve the German riddle in two previous attempts and it would be anything but third time lucky were he to try again.

Atletico Madrid have been blunted by the loss of Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois to Chelsea but Diego Simeone's La Liga champions showed when eliminating the Stamford Bridge club at the semi-final stage last season their ability to battle from a tough corner.

Which leaves only the reigning champions. To be fair to Arsenal, every runner-up will be secretly praying to avoid Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

Carlo Ancelotti's side look a stronger unit this year compared with last and they are sweeping all before them - recording a 19th successive victory on Tuesday against Ludogorets.

Arsenal have their backs to the wall once more. Not many scenarios can unfold in Nyon that will have Wenger's team favourites to make a first quarter-final appearance in five years.