Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has urged his side to play at their best level and not underestimate Portuguese giants Porto in the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League clash on Tuesday night.
The Gunners arrived in Portugal on Monday and will be looking to put one foot in the quarterfinals of the competition if they beat their hosts.
Arsenal come into this fixture in great form and are easily one of the most-inform sides in Europe at the moment. The Gunners have scored at least five goals in their last two games, beating West Ham 6-0 and Burnley 5-0 in their most recent outing.
Given Arsenal’s current form, many expect the English side to brush away Porto with ease but Arteta is predicting a difficult game for his side. There is also a brilliant story for Arsenal star Fabio Vieira, who joined the Gunners from Porto and is now available for selection once again after a spell on the sidelines.
Arteta warns Arsenal to not take Porto for granted
Speaking in an interview ahead of the game, Arteta said: “I’m really impressed with Porto, I know the manger really well and the history that they have. They have a lot of experience in the competition, they have many qualities in many phases of play, that’s why they are always competitive in the European competitions.”
“It’s a really tough opponent that we are going to face tomorrow, at the same time we are very excited. It’s been seven years that we haven’t been here and we are all full of energy and excitement to play the game we want to tomorrow.”
“Regarding Fabio: I’m really happy with him but sad at the same time because it’s been a tough period for him, especially with the last injury, because he had some momentum and had put some performances together before he got injured. That broke up his rhythm again like last season, but he is an enormous talent and we’re going to get the best out of him.”
Many believe Arsenal can go all the way in the completion and while Arteta does not want to be bullish about his side’s chances, his comments hint at optimism regarding the matter.
“It’s great we have earnt the right to be here. It’s been seven years since we’ve been at this table for this kind of match and 14 years since we’ve been able to go to the next stage. That’s the challenge, that’s what is ahead of us and we are really excited to face it, and to go for it with full belief, that’s for sure.”
