Raya the shoot-out hero in front of tense but raucous Emirates Crowd

Arsenal 1 Porto 0 (AET, Arsenal win 4-2 on penalties)    
Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg   
Tuesday 11th March 2024  8pm     

Cup runs are about survival, just getting through. And ultimately, penalty shoot outs decide even who lifts the trophy itself. Arsenal know this all too well, having lost two European finals in this manner, and won an FA Cup. In the end, this tie went to the lottery of penalties, but it was the Gunners that held their nerve, as David Raya pulled off two saves to send his side through to the last eight of this competition. The Emirates crowd played their part too, and the celebrations when Porto’s fourth penalty was saved to end the contest were off the scale. 

 

Porto tried to eat the clock in this leg as much as the first game, but there was less tolerance from the referee, especially in the second half and extra time. Even at 1-0 down, you felt the visitors would be happy to chance their luck in a shoot-out, although they did have a couple of very decent chances during the 120 minutes plus, one of which was fabulously saved by Raya. 

 

Arsenal had plenty of possession and the majority of the territory, although it was the same story in Porto. At least they managed to break through the one time they had to – when Odegaard fed Leandro Trossard who finished coolly. Celebrations of a later goal were cut short when the referee decreed Kai Havertz had committed a foul in the build-up. It was an echo of the first leg with Mikel Arteta’s team getting the ball close to the Porto goal plenty of times but rarely managed to trouble the keeper.

The starting eleven surprised many. There was a feeling Jesus would begin the game, most likely in place of Trossard. And with Arsenal needing to focus on scoring, it would not have been a huge surprise to see Zinchenko come in for Kiwior. Both Jesus and the Ukrainian did eventually get onto the pitch, along with Eddie Nketiah, although only the Brazilian came on in normal time. It was a tense evening, and in terms of chances, it was only shaded by the home side. Porto were much better than we might have expected them to be when they decided to play some football.

 

It was very different from the Premier League, and this tie will have been a huge lesson for a number of Arsenal’s less experienced players. Mikel Arteta may not have beaten his opponent tactically – especially when you consider the market value of his team against Porto’s. It was more a case of honours even and unlike this time last year, a European tie against Portuguese opposition did not see the Gunners eliminated on penalties. The spot kicks taken by Odegaard, Havertz, Saka and Rice were all top drawer. Against Sporting Lisbon on 16^th March 2023, Aaron Ramsdale was unable to save any of the opposition penalties and Martinelli missed. Odegaard, Saka and Trossard had converted theirs by that time. 

 

As 2010 was the last time Arsenal reached the last eight of the Champions League, this felt like a very significant win. If the club really want to feel like one of the big boys, they need to be playing in the final rounds of the main European competition habitually. 14 years is a long time, and we all got fed up at being unable to compete with Barcelona and Bayern Munich (who are both in the last eight this time) and then with not even being in the competition at all – under Wenger, Emery and Arteta. 

 

The opposition in the last eight will be a challenge whoever the Gunners draw. As it stands, the other five qualified teams are Barcelona. PSG, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid. The final two places are determined this evening, but all are very capable sides, the weakest arguably PSV, who go to Dortmund with a 1-1 draw at home.

 

In terms of performances, Arsenal tried manfully, Raya their most outstanding performer, but the nature of the game meant that we didn’t see the best of the players in front of the defence. Such was the intensity of Porto’s competitiveness, having possession for extended periods – even in midfield - was a rarity, in spite of the composure of Jorginho and Rice. Knowing that even at 1-0 Porto were unlikely to change their tactics and start taking more risks meant it was at times a tough watch. The opposition were very good at frustrating Arteta’s team by fair means or foul and it became a case of not losing rather than trying to finish off the tie in extra time – a common outcome of ties like this where two sides are so evenly matched. There were some nervy moments late on as Zinchenko seemed off the pace, but they were ultimately unpunished.

 

Arsenal’s task now that they survived is to show they can operate on a level above that we saw against Porto. It does depend on who they face. A tie against Atletico Madrid (if they get through) would likely be similar in nature, although Diego Simeone’s team are better at doing what Porto do. More likely victory would come against a side that likes to play more expansive football and focus more on creativity than stifling the opposition and hoping to catch them on the break. Whoever is drawn, it’s just nice to be in the quarter final draw, by hook or by crook. It’s been too long.

 

To be notified when there is fresh content on my blog (generally two days after a match), follow me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/KevinWhitcher01