Champions League 2011-12: Milan v Arsenal - in pictures

Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger will be looking for a strong performance from his charges at San Siro to silence the recent rumblings of discontent that have been eminating Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Tomas Rosicky has the first shot of the night, cutting in from the left before slashing an effort across goal, but it's well wide of the target Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Milan seem to have taken affront at this and up their game to force a number of corners early on. Unfortunately for the home side, Clarence Seedorf is forced off after only 12 minutes following a hamstring injury. He's replaced by compatriot Urby Emanuelson Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images

Milan take the lead after 15 minutes with a fabulous strike by Kevin-Prince Boateng. The midfielder, who is returning after injury, makes a darting run between Koscielny and Vermaelen and chests down a through-ball. The ball bounces in front of him and without breaking stride or looking up, he smashes a right-footed diagonal volley... Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters

...which flashes past Arsenal's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and into the back of the net Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters

Arsenal escape going further behind just eight minutes later when a dither between Vermaelen and Szczesny enables Zlatan Ibrahimovic to get a foot in and take the ball past the Arsenal defender, but the ref deems that the Swede was guilty of a foul and Arsenal get out of jail Photograph: Antonio Calanni/AP

The home side come again, with Ibrahimovic steaming down the left, though there's a whiff of offside when he picks up the ball and gets behind the Arsenal defence. He gets to the goalline where he does a cheeky foot roll over the ball before flicking a pass to the edge of the six yard box... Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images

...where Robinho nips into space and guides a header wide of Szczesny and into the Arsenal net to double the home side's lead Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images

Having been outplayed for the first 45 minutes, Arsenal come out for the second half to more of the same. With only three minutes gone they find themselves three goals down when a slip by Vermaelen gives Robinho room to fire a low shot into the bottom corner Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images

He's rather pleased with that Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters

Finally there's some concerted effort from Arsenal just after the hour mark when they create a number of chances and go close to pulling one back. A clever flick from Thierry Henry finds Robin van Persie on the edge of the box, who fires a volley towards the bottom right corner. Unfortunately for the Arsenal captain Abbiati in the Milan goal is more than equal to the task and gets down quickly to push the ball around the post Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters

Ibrahimovic's torment of the Arsenal defence continues and the wily Swede shows enough of the ball to Johan Djourou to encourage him to stick out a leg (and an arm) and down goes the Milan striker. The referee blows his whistle and points to the spot... Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

...Ibrahimovic gets up and takes the spot kick himself. Szczesny guesses correctly and gets a hand to the ball but it's too powerful and nestles in the back of the net... Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

...the big striker celebrates as the shell-shocked Arsenal players find themselves facing the mother of all uphill struggles to get back in this tie. Even a 5-1 victory at the Emirates will see them going out of the competition Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

It was hardly the performance that Thierry Henry or the Arsenal fans would have wanted to see in his last appearance for the Gunners before his return to the New York Red Bulls. Despite all the flashes of magic he's shown since pulling on the red shirt again, one man doesn't make a team and Arsenal were blown out of the park by a very organised and skilled Milan side Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images