Robin Van Persie has score to settle on his return to big stage

It was at this stage 12 months ago that the Dutchman was sent off with the tie in the balance against Barcelona before the Catalan giants asserted their superiority with a man advantage to score twice late on and reach the quarter-finals.
Tonight's first leg clash in Milan is the first chance Van Persie has had to make a positive impact on the knockout stages of the competition since.

In truth, retribution will probably only come against Barca given the influence his dismissal had on proceedings that night but here in north-west Italy, Van Persie can show another of Europe's greats the positive aspects of his game.

The 28-year-old's ignominy last March was a rare blip in a record shattering year. He scored 35 goals in 36 top-flight appearances to break Thierry Henry's club record and became only the fifth player in Premier League history to score more than 30 times in a calendar year.

Van Persie admitted he felt "betrayed" by referee Massimo Busacca after a harsh second yellow card for kicking the ball away as he shot instinctively at goal but he has since assumed an unparalleled importance at the club.

With Cesc Fabregas departing for Barcelona, Van Persie assumed the captaincy and has led by example. The dearth of striking options behind him was underlined by Henry's ability to make an instant impact unlike that which Gervinho or Marouane Chamakh have been able to make (although in fairness, the latter did start well before drifting into anonymity this season).

There has been no sign of Van Persie's disastrous run with injuries reappearing as he revels in the peak of his career and although doubts remain as to whether he will be convinced to sign a new contract this summer as his deal enters its final year, there are pressing matters at hand.

"Yes, I think Robin has unfinished business in the Champions League," said manager Arsene Wenger.

"I believe that was hugely frustrating [last season]. I believe as well when he was sent off he didn't deserve to be. It was a big frustration as he wasn't prepared to play this game - everybody said he could not play because of his knee problem. I decided very late to play him. He had to dig deep as well maybe to play this game. This year he is in a much better condition.

"I brought Robin to the club a long time ago, when he had some difficult time in Holland. He has grown into a great, great player and a great leader. Robin has taken his role very seriously and has become not only a great player but a great leader for the team and credit to him."

Van Persie was an unused substitute four years ago when Arsenal produced an inspired performance to beat a Milan side defending the trophy under the studious guidance of Carlo Ancelotti.

That last-16 clash was their only previous meeting in the Champions League and Milan have undergone a period of transition since.

The side that contained Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Kaka and Filippo Inzaghi was consigned to history but under Massimiliano Allegri's guidance, the new breed are top of Serie A despite a poor recent run of form.

They scraped a dramatic 2-1 win against Udinese last weekend courtesy of two goals in the final 13 minutes to register their first win in four matches and having been unbeaten at the San Siro for 13 months in the league, they lost to fierce rivals Inter before a Coppa Italia defeat to Juventus.

Arsenal must follow suit and their recent away form in the competition augurs well.

The Gunners had habitually suffered on the road in Europe yet this season have registered notable wins against Udinese and Marseille, while Borussia Dortmund required a late equaliser to salvage a draw and Olympiacos won a dead rubber (for Arsenal) in December.

Tottenham came to this ground last season and produced arguably their finest display under Harry Redknapp in a performance brimming with maturity and composure to register a 1-0 away win that is the quintessential first leg performance against such luminous opposition.

Wenger, though, was unsurprisingly dismissive of another team from north London providing a template for success against Milan.

"Milan had a lot of the ball and Tottenham caught them on the break at the end of the game," said Wenger. "You never decide when you break, you break when you can.

"It was a game which was vastly dominated, especially in the second half, by Milan. We will not decide at the start of the game that we will sit in our half, if we have to, like Tottenham did, we will do it and then try to catch them on the break.

"But at the start we will try to get out of our own half and try to get up there and play.

"Spurs won the game when they were dominated, but that is football today."

Arsenal have their own history to draw on and for Van Persie, a personal score to settle.