Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal have no intention of settling for a draw against Atletico Madrid, whose coach Diego Simeone is a "role model" for the Gunners boss.

Arsenal go to the Estadio Metropolitano for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday, before hosting the return fixture next Tuesday.

Arsenal and Atletico are the two teams that have played the most European Cup or Champions League matches without ever lifting the trophy, with the Gunners on 223 and Los Colchoneros on 190.

The Gunners, who returned to the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, are unbeaten in their last 12 Champions League games.

If they avoid defeat in the Spanish capital, they will match their longest-ever unbeaten run in Europe's premier club competition, having reached the 2006 final – which they lost to Barcelona – off the back of a 13-match streak between March 2005 and April 2006. 

And Arteta believes his team have shown enough quality this season to be confident of an away win.

"This is the stage that we want to be at, and we have earned it through incredible work, passion and quality in the last nine months," Arteta said.