EXCLUSIVE: Lee Dixon praises Arsenal's full-backs and improvement of Rice in title tilt
Those five teams are the last to beat Porto in the knockout stages, and remarkably, they all went on to reach the final.
This is a stat which raises a big smile for Gunners legend Lee Dixon when talking to Tribalfootball.com about the drama at the Emirates.
"Sometimes, when you go into European games, you can kind of derail your form a little bit, as we saw in the reverse game against Porto," admitted Dixon.
"Arsenal weren't at their best last night either, but the impetus they've built up from their league form and the confidence that they're carrying into every game now was a big part of this win.
"I was very confident before the game that they would win it, even in the penalty shootout. I know it's a lottery, but there's a kind of inner belief now that something quite special could happen, and when you win like that, it breeds another type of confidence."
Having made over 600 appearances at full-back for Arsenal, Dixon naturally keeps a close eye on the players in that position.
"Ben White's playing some of the best football that he's played for a while, and Jakub Kiwior as well. Sometimes, when he gets put on the team sheet, I think people are kind of doubtful. But the back four look like a solid base when Kiwior plays on that left side," he said.
"He gives a more stable look to the way they perform, and he's still a good enough footballer to pop into that midfield area when he's needed.
"Attacking-wise, we're always going to create chances and excitement. The team seem to be able to just turn defence into attack, so it was a good result. The performance could have been better, but they'll take that every time until the final, if that's how it ends up."
While reaching the quarter-finals in the Champions League for the first time in 14 years, Arsenal have also taken over top spot in the Premier League table much to the delight of the four-time league winner.
Dixon particularly admires the way Declan Rice has improved the team and believes the former West Ham midfielder can evolve even more.
"He's (Rice) having an absolutely outstanding season. Every game I watch him play, he seems to get better and understand his position a little bit better. When he first got into the England side, he always seemed to miss players running off the back of him," Dixon said.
"The fact that he's now understanding where he should be, the amount of interceptions and last-minute tackles on players going into that '10 area' is absolutely outstanding."
Arsenal have a welcome 19-day break coming up, but on the other side of that awaits a massive game against Manchester City. Dixon believes Mikel Arteta can use City's recent match against Liverpool and target certain areas of their team to get a result.
"As brilliant as City are, they do give you chances. Their eagerness to get that extra man into midfield and dominate the ball the way they do, leave them a little bit vulnerable at the back. I think Arteta and his team would have looked at it and seen that Liverpool created quite a few chances," he said.
"Having said that, Arteta is going up against Pep (Guardiola), and as we know, at any moment, Pep will put his team out and then change it just as they are about to kick off and flip everyone in different positions."