Arsenal v Porto LIVE: Champions League result and final score as Gunners win penalty shootout

Arsenal survived a penalty shoot-out against Porto to reach their first Champions League quarter-final in 14 years on a dramatic night at the Emirates.

Leandro Trossard’s first-half goal cancelled out Porto’s first-leg lead but Arsenal were frustrated by their opponents and taken to extra time after a second from Martin Odegaard was disallowed.

There would be no winner in extra time: with Odegaard and Kai Havertz converting Arsenal’s first two penalties, before David Raya produced a stunning fingertip save to nudge Wendell’s kick onto the post.

Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice also scored, before Raya saved again from Galeno to send Arsenal through to their first quarter-final since 2010.

Follow the reaction below.

ARSENAL VS PORTO - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE

• Arsenal take on Porto at the Emirates trailing 1-0 after first leg

• Gunners have not reached a Champions League quarter-final since 2010

• Arsenal line-up: David Raya returns in goal with Kai Havertz leading the line

• GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (Trossard 41 min, 1-1 agg)

• Half-time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

• Disallowed goal! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

• Full-time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

• Full-time in extra time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

• Arsenal win penalty shootout thanks to David Raya heroics

Arsenal FC 5 - 2 FC Porto

David Raya pulls out the stops to end Arsenal’s long wait for a Champions League quarter-final

Tuesday 12 March 2024 23:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

David Raya pulls out the stops, so Arsenal keep going. They used every drop of energy that Mikel Arteta demanded to squeeze past Porto by single kick and make their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010. That came from the first Champions League shootout since the 2015-16 final, that Raya was so decisive in. He made one brilliant save from Galeno and a relatively lucky one from Wendell, the second more forceful enough and fittingly sending Arsenal through.

Read Miguel Delaney’s full report from the Emirates Stadium:

David Raya pulls out the stops to end Arsenal’s long Champions League wait

Arsenal were lucky - they must now learn from Porto’s exhibition in gamesmanship

00:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Bring your energy, bring your noise - and bring your best for the penalty shoot-out too please, David Raya. It was heroics from Arsenal’s goalkeeper, rather than the instinctiveness and electricity of their attacking play, that saved Mikel Arteta’s side here. Porto set out to frustrate and they succeeded. A grand, final act from Pepe dragged Porto into extra time and to a shoot-out. But Arsenal survived. On the balance of play, it was the team that probably has a chance of winning the Champions League that scraped through, but Arsenal will have to be a lot better, and more importantly smarter, than this if they are to be contenders.

Arsenal were lucky - they must now learn from Porto’s exhibition in gamesmanship

Robert Lewandowski puts seal on Barcelona’s Champions League win over Napoli

Tuesday 12 March 2024 23:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in four years after a thrilling 3-1 home win over Napoli in their last-16 second leg gave them a deserved 4-2 aggregate victory.

Robert Lewandowski puts seal on Barcelona’s Champions League win over Napoli

David Raya speaks after Arsenal reach Champions League quarter-finals

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

“It went down to penalties and I’m there. We’ve been working a lot on penalties this year because on nights like this we need to be on top of our game, and that hard work with the goalie coach paid off.”

On his two crucial penalty saves, he says: “I should have saved three!”

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg, 4-2 pens)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:51 , Lawrence Ostlere

It all erupts on the halfway line with a bit of a scrap between the two sets of players. Mikel Arteta runs over to drag some of his players away from trouble.

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 4-2 Porto (Raya saves from Galeno)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

Another brilliant leap to his left and Raya makes another great save! Arsenal are through to the quarter-finals!

Arsenal ✅✅✅✅

Porto ✅❌✅❌

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 4-2 Porto (Rice scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

Rice fires home and Porto must score their next...

Arsenal ✅✅✅✅

Porto ✅❌✅

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 3-2 Porto (Grujic scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

Almost another brilliant save by Raya, who leaps and gets his fingers to another penalty, but he can’t keep this one out.

Arsenal ✅✅✅

Porto ✅❌✅

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 3-1 Porto (Saka scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Bukayo Saka slots into the left side of the net. Daylight.

Arsenal ✅✅✅

Porto ✅❌

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 2-1 Porto (Raya saves from Wendell)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

Raya dives and gets a brilliant fingertip save to push Wendell’s penalty against the post! Huge moment.

Arsenal ✅✅

Porto ✅❌

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 2-1 Porto (Havertz scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Calmly stroked home by Havertz using the stutter technique. A huge roar goes up around the Emirates.

Arsenal ✅✅

Porto ✅

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 1-1 Porto (Eduardo Pepe scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Fired home despite the boos, with Raya going the wrong way.

Arsenal ✅

Porto ✅

Penalty shootout: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (Odegaard scores)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

Martin Odegaard scores! Fired into the left side of the goal. He celebrates passionately.

Penalty shootout!

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here we go then! Martin Odegaard wins both coin tosses and Arsenal will go first, shooting into their own fans. Odegaard will take the first penalty himself...

Full-time in extra time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

The away goals rule meant penalties were pretty rare in the Champions League:

Full-time in extra time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

The whistle blows once more, and we’re going to a penalty shootout. Drama.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:36 , Lawrence Ostlere

118 min: Declan Rice tries to chip in Ben White running in behind the Porto defence but it’s just a touch overhit and runs through to Costa. Arsenal are running out of time, and ideas.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

116 min: Havertz is limping with what looks like cramp but he’s OK to hobble on. It’s been a long night.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

114 min: Gabriel Jesus slides through Goncalo Borges on the halfway line and it’s given as a foul. That seemed a touch harsh and the Emirates fumes. Arteta, on a booking, restrains himself.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

112 min: Pepe just celebrated an interception like he’d scored the winning goal. He’s hyped.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:27 , Lawrence Ostlere

110 min: Sharp football by Arsenal, involving Nketiah who plays a neat flick with his back to goal towards Saka arriving in the box, but Porto crowd out the winger and survive another wave of Arsenal pressure.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:25 , Lawrence Ostlere

109 min: Porto venture forward and win themselves a corner. Wendell takes it, but the ball is well claimed by David Raya.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

107 min: Eddie Nketiah and Oleksandr Zinchenko have replaced Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior.

Arsenal are knocking the ball around, looking for a way through.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:22 , Lawrence Ostlere

We go again.

Half-time in extra time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:19 , Lawrence Ostlere

The whistle blows and there will be 15 more minutes coming right up, after a quick touchline huddle.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:18 , Lawrence Ostlere

102 min: Havertz shoves Porto manager Sergio Conceicao after they collide on the touchline, and incredibly he’s not booked. Clement Turpin does not like using his cards.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

100 min: Here comes Porto’s double change: Goncalo Borges and Stephen Eustaquio are on for Francisco Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

98 min: Arsenal are pushing hard but perhaps a bit too hard, and some of their connections in the final third aren’t quite clicking, That’s partly due to a bit of fatigue, perhaps, and partly due to some angst in the stadium and on the pitch.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

96 min: Excellent from the 73-year-old Pepe who steps across Gabriel Jesus and ushers the ball calmly out of play. Porto are about to make a double change, it seems.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

94 min: Porto clear their lines and Arsenal come again. Right now it seems like Porto are happy to try their luck with a shootout.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:07 , Lawrence Ostlere

93 min: Arsenal are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right from where Odegaard can cross...

Kick-off! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 22:04 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here we go, then. Extra time is under way. Can either side find a winner in the next 30 minutes or is this tie heading to penalties?

Full-time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

The second half is over, and we’ll have 30 more minutes of this tense Champions League tie, starting shortly.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:57 , Lawrence Ostlere

90+4 min: This is a sad sight: Alan Varela is carried off on a stretcher having appeared to suffered some kind of muscle injury.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

90+2 min: Odegaard goes down in the box under pressure from Pepe, but there wasn’t much contact and referee Turpin is unmoved.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

90 min: Arsenal are doing most of the pushing for a winning goal, but they are running out of time to get one before full-time. Three minutes to be added on. Extra-time looms.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

88 min: Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi replaces Evanilson for Porto.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

86 min: Odegaard tries to thread a throughball to Jesus but it’s deflected away for a corner – Arsenal’s seventh on the night.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

84 min: Another Arsenal chance! Saka whips an effort at goal and it’s parried out to the edge of the box where Odegaard tries to fire first-time into the half-empty goal, but he can’t convert the tricky chance and it bounces wide.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

83 min: Jesus almost scores with his first touch! He jumps on a loose ball in the box and fires at goal first time, but Costa comes out well and blocks with his legs.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

82 min: Jesus does indeed enter the fray, replacing Jorginho. Arsenal will shuffle around – Havertz drops into midfield and Rice drops back into the holding role.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

80 min: Gabriel Jesus is getting ready to come on.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

78 min: Jorginho is the latest player to concede a foul in midfield. There have been an awful lot of them, and the referee Clement Turpin has got most of the calls right, but he’s still received an awful lot of backchat from players, coaches and fans along the way.

My only fault with Turpin is that he could have produced some yellow cards earlier in the match and tried to shut down some of the nitty fouls that have disrupted the game.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:38 , Lawrence Ostlere

75 min: Now both managers are in the book – Sergio Conceicao was furious with a decision and the stadium is becoming very tetchy on all sides.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

72 min: Arsenal have a free-kick on the left side. Odegaard plays it to Trossard who whips in a cross, but Saliba’s header from about eight yards is off target under pressure from Porto defenders.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

69 min: A big chance for Porto! They spring a counter and are three on three running at the Arsenal defence. Conceicao opts to shoot rather than pass, and his low stinger is fumbled by Raya, but Kiwior reacts just ahead of Evanilson to clear away the loose ball.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

67 min: Mikel Arteta is booked in the aftermath of that incident after complaining furiously.

Disallowed goal! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:29 , Lawrence Ostlere

66 min: Now then, is this a foul? Martin Odegaard scores an open goal but Kai Havertz is adjudged to have pulled down Pepe in the chaos that came before.

The replay shows that Havertz did have a grab of Pepe’s shirt and the goal will not stand.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:26 , Lawrence Ostlere

63 min: Arsenal are on the attack. Odegaard tries to slip in Ben White but the pass is cut out and the hosts will have a throw.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:21 , Lawrence Ostlere

60 min: An hour gone and we’re all square on aggregate. Arsenal will be happy enough with how this has gone so far tonight, and they are certainly the favourites now. But Porto continue to carry a threat when they come forwards and they are defending doggedly.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

58 min: Rice bends in yet another corner, almost all of which have been fizzed under the crossbar to test Costa, who Arsenal’s set-piece coach clearly doesn’t rate. This is another like that but Costa and his defence have dealt with the challenge so far, and the keeper punches this delivery clear.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:18 , Lawrence Ostlere

55 min: Arsenal have a corner. Rice whips it in from the left and it’s well cleared by Otavio. Rice tries again and this time Pepe heads away. A moment later Havertz cross from the right but Rice’s shot is blocked.

Good pressure, this, by Arsenal, matched by Porto’s defending.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

53 min: Francisco Conceicao hacks through the back of Trossard near the halfway line and the Emirates is furious. I’m not sure how that isn’t a booking, but it isn’t.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

50 min: This time Conceicao is pickpocketed by Kiwior, good defending. Arsenal yet to get into their stride in this half.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

47 min: A nice dribble by Francisco Conceicao, who jinks in from the right wing and into the box. His cross bounces up into the air off an Arsenal defender and Evanilson can’t resist trying a bicycle kick, which flies off target.

Kick-off! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

Martin Odegaard gets the second half going with a pass back to goalkeeper David Raya, who launches the ball downfield.

Barcelona 2-1 Napoli (3-2 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 21:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

In the other game tonight, Napoli pulled a goal back after going 2-0 down and are still in the tie.

Half-time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:59 , Lawrence Ostlere

Leandro Trossard might not have been in the team tonight had Gabriel Martinelli been fit, but he is and he’s taken his opportunity with a piercing finish.

Half-time: Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

Clement Turpin blows his whistle and that’s half-time. Trossard’s goal gives Arsenal a deserved edge on the night, and it’s all square on aggregate.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

45 min: A short break in play while Eduardo Pepe is treated for a knock. There is only supposed be one minute added on, although this means there might be another couple.

Arsenal 1-0 Porto (1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

43 min: A reminder that there are no away goals in the Champions League knockout stages, so a Porto goal will not mean Arsenal suddenly need two more, like the old days.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Porto (Trossard 41 min, 1-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

There it is! Brilliant from Martin Odegaard, who shimmies on the edge of the box to send two Porto defenders spinning, then picks a perfect little pass behind right-back Joao Mario for Leandro Trossard to collect in the box. Trossard still needs to add a sharp finish but he does exactly that, drilling the ball into the far corner.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:39 , Lawrence Ostlere

37 min: The first booking of the game goes to Saliba, who hauls down Galeno when the Porto winger otherwise would have been rushing into the Arsenal half starting a promising counterattack.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:36 , Lawrence Ostlere

34 min: Porto survive the latest wave of Arsenal pressure and there’s a little lull in the game, which suits the visitors.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

31 min: Saka takes another whack, this time from Nico Gonzalez, and Arsenal fans scream for a yellow card which doesn’t come. Odegaard whips in the free-kick which is unconvincingly cleared by keeper Costa’s punch, and Arsenal have another corner. They are gradually increasing the pressure.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

29 min: Rice whips in an in-swinging corner from the left which almost finds Saliba’s forehead, but it whistles past and Porto manage to clear their lines.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:29 , Lawrence Ostlere

26 min: Magical feet on the legt wing by Trossard, who skips away from his man and drives into the box. He digs out a cross which finds the head of Declan Rice, but Rice can’t steer it on target under pressure from Pepe. Rice walks away holding his nose, having taken a clobber from the 41-year-old defender, but he’s OK.

Barcelona 2-0 Napoli (3-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

In the other game tonight, Barcelona are cruising and have one foot in the quarter-finals.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:23 , Lawrence Ostlere

21 min: Good save by Raya, denying Evanilson who had turned and fired a shot on target from inside the box. An even game, this.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

18 min: Rice whips in a free-kick from the right side and finds Gabriel in space, but the defender steers the ball off target. The replay shows Arsenal’s attacking players including Gabriel were probably offside anyway.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:16 , Lawrence Ostlere

15 min: Rice puts in one of typical surges from midfield, carrying the ball down the left side of the box, but his cross is tame and it’s cleared away. Trossard then tries and his delivery is much more threatening and finds Saka, but somehow the winger heads the ball away from goal rather than towards it.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

13 min: Excellent from Bukayo Saka, who dribbles down the right touchline and then evdes Wendell to dribble inside. He gets into the box and fires low a shot which is spilled to safety by goalkeeper Costa.

A moment later Arsenal come again and Odegaard earns a corner. Saka works a clever move from the set-piece using Trossard and then tees up Odegaard in the area, but his shot is into the side netting.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:13 , Lawrence Ostlere

11 min: Rice tries to win the ball in the Porto half but he’s a bit clumsy and concedes a foul.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

9 min: Arsenal come forwards now, having spent most of these opening exchanges chasing the ball.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

6 min: Porto are enjoying a few positive minutes probing in the Arsenal half, and they’ve managed to quieten the home crowd just a little.

Arsenal 0-0 Porto (0-1 agg)

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

3 min: A few scrappy fouls from either side have made it a bitty start. Arsenal eventually get moving with Saka driving through the middle towards the box until he’s battered by left-back Wendell. It was a robust tackle to say the least but he got the ball and refreee Clement Turpin is happy for play to go on.

The ball falls to Trossard on the left who crosses for Ben White, and his header floats on to the roof of the net.

Kick-off! Arsenal v Porto

Tuesday 12 March 2024 20:01 , Lawrence Ostlere

1 min: Porto get us going and Arsenal go straight on the high press trying to force an error, which they do with a clearance which goes out for an Arsenal throw-in next to Mikel Arteta on the halfway line.

Arsenal v Porto

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

The atmosphere is fantastic in north London this evening. Zadok the Priest blares out as the players line up, and we’re moments away from kick-off.

Arsenal v Porto

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

Just a few minutes until kick-off. Will Arsenal turn the tie around?

When is the Champions League quarter-final draw?

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:46 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal and Porto will be hoping to join Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in Friday’s quarter-final draw.

Barcelona host Napoli tonight after a 1-1 draw in Italy, while tomorrow Inter travel to Atletico Madrid looking to protect their 1-0 lead and Borussia Dortmund host PSV after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

When is the Champions League quarter-final draw?

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaks ahead of kick-off

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mikel Arteta on improving on the first leg, using the Emirates crowd and the form of Kai Havertz: “He needed a bit of time, a bit of love, and now things are clicking.”

Can Havertz continue scoring run?

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:31 , Jamie Braidwood

Kai Havertz is enjoying his best run of form since his big-money move from Chelsea this summer, with his late winner against Brentford on Saturday seeing him score for a fourth Premier League game in a row.

Arteta said afterwards: “If somebody told me after the first two or three months that the whole stadium would be singing his song with that passion, with that feeling, with that chemistry, I would have found it hard to believe.

“That’s what happens to good people. He’s an exceptional player. When he starts to score goals like this and everything starts to flow people feel more connected with him.

“They see his work rate, they see his intelligence, they see how he plays for the team and how he’s contributing. It’s impossible not to love him.”

Declan Rice carries yellow card into Porto second leg

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:21 , Jamie Braidwood

Declan Rice is the only Arsenal player at risk of a suspension ahead of tonight’s match. The midfielder was booked early on in the first leg for a late challenge on Galeno and would be ruled out of the quarter-final first leg if he is booked and Arsenal make it through.

Porto line-up

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:16 , Lawrence Ostlere

Sergio Conceicao unsurprisingly sticks with the same XI who won the first leg 1-0. Evanilson has 21 goals in 32 games and leads the line, with first-leg match-winner Galeno on the left wing.

Costa; Joao Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell; Varela, Nico Gonzalez; Francisco Conceicao, Eduardo Pepe, Galeno; Evanilson.

Subs: Claudio Ramos, Fabio Cardoso, Eustaquio, Grujic, Taremi, Sanchez, Jaime, Namaso, Romario Baro, Toni Martinez, Goncalo Borges, Ze Pedro.

Can Porto frustrate Arsenal again?

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:11 , Jamie Braidwood

There were 36 fouls during the first-leg in Porto, the most in a Champions League match this season.

Galeno scored last-minute winner with a superb curling strike, but Arsenal lacked quality and could not establish any momentum in the game.

Porto did not mind that it was not a good watch.

Afterwards, boss Sergio Conceicao claimed: “They (Arsenal) wanted to play, we wanted to win.”

Arsenal line-up

Tuesday 12 March 2024 19:00 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mikel Arteta makes one change to the team which beat Brentford, as David Raya returns in goal to replace Aaron Ramsdale. Jorginho keeps his place in midfield and Kai Havertz again leads the line in a false nine role.

Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Kiwior; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard.

Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, Tomiyasu, Cedric, Zinchenko, Elneny, Partey, Vieira, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Nketiah, Jesus.

Arsenal v Porto

Tuesday 12 March 2024 18:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Team news is about to land...

Arteta wants Arsenal to keep emotions in check

Tuesday 12 March 2024 18:51 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta on the importance of keeping “control” against Porto as Arsenal chase down their 1-0 lead.

“The game context is very important. We know that we have a long match to play. There are moments that could go your way and that it can change dramatically quick.

“That’s the Champions League and you have to be ready for these kind of games. We’re certainly going to have to tweak a few things to generate much more than we did (in Porto). It’s the level of the Champions League.

“You’re facing top teams. The fact that there are two games plays in your mind and we have to be better.”

Mikel Arteta’s painful Arsenal experience holds the key to Porto victory

Tuesday 12 March 2024 18:31 , Jamie Braidwood

Around the Arsenal training ground over the last 48 hours, there’s been a new giddiness, at least for this team. Anyone can sense the anticipation to play in what feels like the first major European home game in a long time. Mikel Arteta radiated it on the eve of the second leg against Porto, as he told fans to “bring your energy, bring your noise and let’s do it together”.

The Arsenal manager did insist that emotion needs to be controlled, as he spoke about going through “certain phases” in trying to turn over this 1-0 deficit.

One phase evidently matters most to him, as he essentially revealed just how much he has been thinking about this. That’s the opening spell. Arsenal have recently become adept at finishing games almost as soon as they start. It is a real danger for Porto on Tuesday, although something that manager Sergio Conceicao will doubtless be preparing for, given that Pep Guardiola made such a point of mentioning it.

After Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool, the Catalan said Arsenal just “need 25 minutes to go 3-0 up”. Jurgen Klopp echoed that by talking about a side “firing on all cylinders”. They’re on turbo from kick-off.

Big match preview, by Miguel Delaney

Mikel Arteta’s painful Arsenal experience holds the key to Porto victory

Arteta still looking for first home European knockout win

Tuesday 12 March 2024 18:11 , Jamie Braidwood

Tonight is Mikel Arteta’s fifth European knockout match at home as Arsenal manager - and he is still looking for his first win.

The previous four have all come in the Europa League - despite reaching the semi-fnals in 2021, there was a 0-1 defeat to Olympiacos, a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague, and a 0-0 draw wtih Villarreal.

Last season saw a defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the last-16.

The stakes are higher tonight. Arsenal have to win and it would be a good time for Arteta to end this particular streak.

Can Arsenal write a new Champions League chapter after last-16 heartbreak?

Tuesday 12 March 2024 17:51 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal’s consistency in the later years of Arsene Wenger’s tenure was lauded, but the Gunners routinely fell short of actually competing for the biggest titles.

That was the case in the Champions League as Arsenal were knocked out in the last-16 every year between 2011 and 2017.

Some of those defeats were hammerings to the likes of Bayern Munich (10-2 in 2017) or Barcelona (5-1 in 2016), others were grim shocks - like when Dimitar Berbatov led Monaco to victory in 2015.

When was the last time Arsenal play a Champions League quarter-final?

Tuesday 12 March 2024 17:31 , Jamie Braidwood

After storming back to rescue a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, Arsenal travelled to the Camp Nou and took a shock lead against European champions Barcelona.

But Barca hit back as a certain Lionel Messi scored FOUR times to send Pep Guardiola’s side through to the semi-finals.

Arsenal, remarkably, have not played a Champions League quarter-final since.

Gabriel Martinelli blow for Arsenal

Tuesday 12 March 2024 17:11 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta didn’t rule Gabriel Martinelli out of tonight’s match during his press conference yesterday, but the Arsenal winger has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming Brazil squad.

That’s due to the injury that he picked up in the 6-0 win over Sheffield United, and which forced Martinelli to sit out Saturday’s win against Brentford.

Martinelli sat out training yesterday and Arteta said: “We still have 24 hours and we’re trying to have everyone fit for tomorrow.”

Brentford match ‘good practice’ for Porto test

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:51 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal will need to be more “streetwise” than they were last time out in Porto - where the hosts frustrated Arsenal by slowing Arteta’s team down and stopping their attacks with a series of fouls.

Captain Martin Odegaard believes Brentford’s approach at the Emirates on Saturday was good preparation.

“We will take a lot of good things,” Odegaard said. “It was a really good practice for this game coming up. We had to deal with a lot of different situation, a lot of time wasting.

“We had to control our emotions the whole game and I think we did that brilliantly. It was really good practice for another big game and we did really well.

“Top of the table so of course we have to build on that momentum and the good feeling we have at the moment. That’s the goal, to keep that going.”

Arsenal look to build on momentum

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:32 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal were stunned by Galeno’s last-minute goal in Porto but their response has been impressive. Arsenal returned to Premier League action to thrash Newcastle 4-1 and Sheffield United 6-0, before that late-win against Brentford on Saturday night.

Can they continue that momentum tonight?

Arteta calls on Arsenal fans to ‘bring your noise’

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:14 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta wants to create a special night at the Emirates as Arsenal bid to reach their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 against Porto.

“That’s the opportunity that we have. In front of our people, in our stadium for 96 minutes,” he said. “Bring your energy, bring your noise and let’s do it together. I think the impact that they can make is incredible. I don’t think they realise.

“It’s a beautiful opportunity to live one of those nights. It’s been 14 years (since a Champions League quarter-final) so everything that we put in there is going to be worth it.”

Arsenal vs Porto predictions: Champions League tips, football odds and free bets

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:03 , Jamie Braidwood

Odds

Arsenal: 3/13

Draw: 6/1

Porto: 14/1

Prediction

Arsenal 3-0 Porto (3-1 on aggregate)

Arsenal vs Porto predictions: Champions League tips, football odds and free bets

Arsenal vs Porto - latest Champions League updates

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:02 , Jamie Braidwood

Predicted line-ups

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Trossard

Porto: Costa; João Mário, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell; Gonzalez, Varela; Conceicao, Pepê, Galeno; Evanilson

Arsenal vs Porto - latest Champions League updates

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:01 , Jamie Braidwood

What is the team news?

Gabriel Martinelli, who missed out on Arsenal’s win over Brentford after picking up a “slight cut” in the thrashing of Sheffield United last week, will play no part in what is a huge blow.

Oleksandr Zinchenko returned to action from the bench, but Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber remain out. David Raya will return in goal after Aaron Ramsdale stepped in against Brentford.

Porto sit third in Liga Portugal, behind rivals Sporting and Benfica. Striker Mehdi Taremi missed the first leg and is still out due to injury but Pepe remains as fit as ever and will captain the side at the age of 41.

Arsenal vs Porto - latest Champions League updates

Tuesday 12 March 2024 16:00 , Jamie Braidwood

When is Arsenal vs Porto?

It will kick off at 8pm GMT on Tuesday 12 March at the Emirates Stadium.

How can I watch it?

The tie will be shown live on TNT Sports, while customers can stream the match live on Discovery +.

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