Kelvin Bowoto
Mikel Arteta has praised Arsenal fans for their contribution to his team’s thrilling penalty shootout victory over Porto in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday night.
Leandro Trossard’s first-half score, wonderfully assisted by Martin Odegaard, tied the last-16 tie at 1-1 on aggregate, but the hosts were unable to get a crucial second goal.
Chances were few and far between, allowing goalkeeper David Raya to play the hero by saving spot kicks from Wendell and Galeno to advance to the quarterfinals.
While Arteta was clearly happy with his team’s tenacity, he also acknowledged the crucial role Arsenal fans played in enabling the club to reach the final eight for the first time since 2010.
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In his post-match press conference, the 41-year-old stated, “The atmosphere was amazing from the start to the conclusion.
“But when they do that bit extra at the end for penalties, that shows they know their brains.”
Arsenal will now join Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich in the quarter-final draw on Friday, marking another significant step forward for a young, inexperienced team.
Many significant members of the side are competing in their first Champions League season, including Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and Ben White.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
