Arsenal’s hopes of banishing their last-16 Champions League demons were dashed as they suffered a disappointing defeat to Porto in the first leg at the Estadio do Dragao. The Gunners failed to register a single shot on target, culminating in Galeno’s spectacular last-minute goal, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with a do-or-die situation in the second leg at the Emirates. The match highlighted Arsenal’s historical struggles at this stage of the competition, with the team failing to progress past the last-16 in seven consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2017.
Arteta, who had aspirations of lifting the Champions League trophy, now faces the daunting task of turning the tie around in the return leg. The lackluster performance saw Arsenal starting slow and hesitant, with Porto’s defensive solidity proving difficult to break down. Despite a few promising moments, including a missed opportunity by Galeno, Arsenal failed to capitalize on set-pieces and open play alike.
The defeat underscores the challenge Arteta faces in navigating the Champions League second legs, with Arsenal’s recent history in the competition indicating tough battles ahead. As they prepare for the return fixture, Arsenal must regroup and summon all their resolve to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.
Here is the highlight video of Porto vs. Arsenal. which ended with a 1-0 victory for Porto.
Arsenal performance and stats
Arsenal is currently 1st in the Champions League with 13 points.
In the last 7 games, it has won 4 times, drawn once, and lost twice. In its last match, Arsenal lost 1-0 against Porto.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 16 goals and conceding 4.
Porto performance and stats
Porto
Porto is currently 2nd in the Champions League with 12 points.
In the last 7 games, it has won 5 times and lost twice. In its last match, Porto won 1-0 against Arsenal.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 15 goals and conceding 8.
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