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Arsenal face an uphill fight against Porto at Emirates Stadium in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie in 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg, Arsenal must score at least twice and win if want to advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Porto meanwhile know that victory or a draw would see them through to the last eight.
Team News
David Raya is set to return for Arsenal after he was ineligible to feature in their Premier League victory over Brentford.
Gabriel Martinelli (foot) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) are doubts but Jurrien Timbers (knee) remains ruled out.
Porto have no fresh injury concerns to report as Mehdi Taremi, Ivan Marcano (both knee) and Zaidu Sanusi (ACL) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Arsenal host Porto at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 12 March at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal have won one of their last four Champions League meetings against Porto (W1, L3).
- Porto have lost all three previous Champions League visits to Arsenal without scoring (L3).
- Arsenal have scored 11 goals at home to Porto in the Champions League.
- Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have scored 12 goals without conceding at home in this season’s Champions League, with Bukayo Saka having netted in all three home matches.
- Porto have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four away matches in the Champions League (W2, L2).
Prediction
After a difficult first leg last month where their attacking pressure was soaked up and brilliantly punished with a late home attack, Arsenal now need to find more creativity and realistically score first if want to win this tie and reach the Quarter-Finals and their tough league win over Brentford will of prepared them well for this test.
Porto meanwhile have struggled defensively on the road in this competition lately but after clinically punishing Arsenal late on, they could come and sit back soaking up the Gunners’ attack again but I can’t see that happening because they will need another goal if want to beat the hosts on aggregate.
I however do expect Arsenal to get the job done now that they’re firing on all cylinders and have home advantage which will provide a huge confidence boost, yet they have to step it up a gear and get that first goal which will likely lead to victory if can score early to put the tie in their hands with momentum.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Porto
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