LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga & extra (U.S.)
– Learn on ESPN+: How Pep and Klopp modified the Prem, and one another
The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”
LONDON — Arsenal’s round-of-16 curse within the Champions League is lastly damaged. It required a penalty shootout on the finish of a gruelling 120 minutes — by which FC Porto examined the Gunners’ endurance in nearly each conceivable approach — however they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2010.
As supervisor, Mikel Arteta inherited a glass ceiling of seven consecutive exits at this stage from 2011 to 2017 — 5 of which he was on the books as a participant — however on the first time of asking on their return to Europe’s main membership competitors, it has been shattered.
“For them to do it when the membership hasn’t managed to do it for 14 years, I let you know it is going to be a lift,” Arteta mentioned after Tuesday’s match. “The margins are so small. You discover a strategy to do it once more. I see how a lot they need it, how a lot they struggle, and they’re able to sacrifice something to win. While you play like this on the finish, good issues are going to return your approach.”
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The Gunners won’t have been fully convincing right here, dragged right down to Porto’s degree in a match that leaned into gamesmanship and hostility relatively than technical soccer. It led to each managers receiving yellow playing cards in separate incidents and additional offended phrases exchanged had been between the pair at fulltime.
However the technical performances can come later. Arteta’s mission is to redefine Arsenal as serial challengers for the sport’s largest prizes, as for too a few years beneath earlier supervisor Arsene Wenger the Gunners had been nearly a laughingstock when the knockout rounds got here. Not anymore.
Trailing 1-0 from the primary leg, Leandro Trossard hauled Arsenal degree within the tie with a Forty first-minute strike, which owed every part to the sharp ft and imaginative and prescient of Martin Odegaard in creating the chance.
Porto proved stubborn opponents, exaggerating contact everywhere in the pitch but additionally urgent with intelligence and bravado to make sure the second half wasn’t merely an try to repel wave after wave of Arsenal assaults. The truth is, in further time, the Gunners managed only one shot.
However when it mattered, Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice held their nerve within the shootout whereas Wendell and Galeno had their spot kicks brilliantly saved by David Raya to make sure this younger Arsenal aspect broke new floor.
“What we anticipated, a very robust opponent, rather well organised and really troublesome to generate fixed momentum within the recreation,” Arteta mentioned. “That is credit score to them. We did it. We scored an attractive objective, after which we insisted in numerous methods. We needed to do it on the finish with the penalties. We ready nicely. Credit score to the coaches and those who took them.”
It was the primary time the Champions League has had a shootout because the 2016 remaining — which, amazingly, additionally concerned Pepê, who at 41 turned the primary participant over 40 to look on this competitors.
With that, Arsenal banished one other demon after dropping within the first ever shootout at Emirates Stadium in final 12 months’s Europa League round-of-16 conflict — towards one other Portuguese opponent, Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta will really feel lots of his calls have been vindicated: beginning Trossard instead of the injured Gabriel Martinelli and, most clearly, bringing in Raya regardless of Aaron Ramsdale doing little fallacious in final season’s title push.
Requested how he knew Raya would be capable to address high-pressure moments in objective, Arteta mentioned: “I did not need to see him right now; I used to be satisfied he might.”
“You see him these first few days right here — what he needed to undergo and the way he did it with that composure,” Arteta added. “You take a look at his physique language and the choices that he takes, he would not get very affected. That is a key high quality for that place.”
Dropping right here might have had the identical debilitating impact as final season, when that exit to Sporting precipitated a home run of type that finally price Arsenal the Premier League title after successful simply three of their final 9 video games.
Tuesday’s end result, Arteta will hope, might have the other impact.
“That is the best way it’s a must to take a look at it proper now,” he mentioned. “If you happen to’re out, you suppose, ‘One much less competitors, that is nice for the league.’ Now we’re in, it is the power that it brings among the many squad. It may be very highly effective and really helpful.
“It is one other huge step, particularly as a membership. For seven years, we’ve not been on this competitors, and for 14 years, we’ve not obtained this far. That tells you the issue of it. We wish extra, and we’ll go for it, that is for positive.”