FOR all Arsene Wenger's reputation as a continental football master, he's never quite mastered continental football. In fact, he's never even won any of its competitions but finished runner-up in all of them. His Monaco side lost the 1992 Cup Winners Cup final to Werder Bremen, Arsenal were beaten by Galatasary in the 2000 Uefa Cup final and, most recently, the Gunners were second-best in the 2006 Champions League final to Barcelona.

In that time span, all of the focus for a club like Arsenal and coach like Wenger has naturally switched to the Champions League. Yet, while much was made of his old rival Alex Ferguson's rabid craving for the trophy before 1999, Wenger's own burning desire has never received the same amount of examination.

Sources close to him, however, testify that Wenger sees it as a "gaping hole in his CV" and an objective more pressing than reclaiming the league title. He publicly hinted at this himself a few years ago. "I want to win the Champions League but it's step by step. And to win not once but two or three times, to go into the history of European football."

Step by step is one thing though. The problem with Wenger's Arsenal is that they've never walked a steady line in Europe. They've never shown the progression, say, Ferguson did with different Manchester United sides between 1994 and 1999 or 2006 and 2008. Indeed, only emphasising Wenger's peculiar relationship and approach as regards European football, they've got to the final one season only to exit at the last 16 the next, or dismantled a European giant in one round to fall to a smaller fish the following.

Taking his 13 seasons in the European Cup/Champions League combined since his first tilt with Monaco in 1988-89, he's reached the final once, the semi-finals twice, quarter-finals four times, last 16 four times and gone out at the first hurdle twice. When you remove Monaco though, you also remove a semi-final and a quarter-final meaning his Arsenal team have only gone beyond the last eight twice. Of England's established Champions League four that's the worst record by a long way. And his most popular exit point? Exactly where he finds himself now against FC Porto, the last 16. Should they fail to breach the Portuguese champions at home on Tuesday, then even the mode of exit – those unexplainable comic errors by Lukasz Fabianski – will be oddly fitting.

Because, unlike the Premier League where Arsenal's failings are easier explained by Wenger's evangelical devotion to organic evolution, the fact his side have always seemed more suited to European football make all those early exits more difficult to analyse. As with the first leg this season, they've certainly committed hara-kiri more than once. Such as their most recent last-16 defeat to PSV in 2007, or getting bounced off by Claudio Pizarro at Bayern Munich in 2005. Going further back, to that 1988-89 season, Wenger's Monaco annihilated a very competent Club Brugge in the second round only to fall to a mediocre Galatasaray the next.

That perhaps reveals the root of Wenger's difficulties in Europe more than most. Creating teams that thrive on confidence, his sides very rarely transcend poor form at that level to deliver a result. Which explains how they can completely eviscerate PSV only to then go out to Ajax in 2002-03, or hammer Inter at the San Siro to then fall to a stuttering Chelsea the following season. As an aside, that 2003-04 campaign remains Arsenal's great missed opportunity in Europe – even more so than 2005-06 – with so many other giants having fallen and them going unbeaten in the Premier League. Unlike the manner Ferguson eventually adapted though, outside of that 2006 run to the final and ties against Real Madrid and Juventus, Wenger has never really sprang any tight, tactical masterplans in European football.

Not that he's likely to need one on Tuesday. After Fabianski's initial error in the first leg, it shouldn't be forgotten that Arsenal completely suppressed a then vibrant Porto until the second calamity. What's more, Porto's form this season has been at a far remove from this time last year when they surprised Manchester United. Only 10 days after taking on Arsenal they went to Sporting Lisbon and got thrashed 3-0.

By contrast, Arsenal are approaching the sort of form Wenger enjoys when they are at their best in Europe. The prospect of winning a Premier League out of a forgiving run-in seems to have energised the side while, unlike with Eduardo two years ago, Aaron Ramsey's injury seems to have inspired them to win for him rather than mentally impede them. A 1-0 win at home is well within their grasp. If not, Wenger's record in Europe will require yet another big red mark.

UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg: Arsenal v FC Porto, Tuesday, 7.45, Emirates Stadium, Live, TV3, 7.00