Contest of Consistency at Estadio do Dragao

Lisbon, Beritasatu.com – Arsenal will visit FC Porto's headquarters at the Estadio do Dragao in the first leg of the last 16 of the 2023/2024 Champions League, Thursday (22/2/2024) early morning at 03.00 WIB.

On paper, Arsenal are the favorites if you look at the player material and performance of the team from London so far. However, coach Mikel Arteta asked his players to be alert.

According to Arteta, FC Porto has good team material. He judged The Dragons have many talented players in their team.

“They have rich experience in this competition. They also have many quality players in all sectors. “That's why they always appear competitive in European competitions,” said Arteta.

He hopes his players will appear brave and confident in the match.

Arteta also wants his team not to lose courage when facing FC Porto later. He wants his team to work hard so they can win this match.

“We will face a very tough opponent tomorrow. However, we are also very enthusiastic about playing this match. We have not been in this phase for seven years and we now have full energy and enthusiasm to play tomorrow's match,” he concluded

The match will certainly be fierce considering that both teams are in good form. Arsenal won 5-0 in their last match. Even, The Gunners Always winning in his last 5 matches, scoring 21 goals and conceding only 2 times.

Meanwhile, Porto last weekend won 2-0 over Amadora in the Portuguese League. In total, Porto has only lost 1 of its last 5 matches (3 wins, 1 draw).

Player Conditions
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has returned to training after four months out with a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Fabio Vieira is close to returning to training after undergoing groin surgery in November.

Gabriel Jesus (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (niggle) remain doubts after missing Saturday's 5-0 win at Burnley.

Meanwhile, Porto may be without Mehdi Taremi after the club confirmed that the Iranian striker was struggling with a thigh injury he suffered during training on Sunday (18/2/2024).

The Portuguese club are already missing Nigerian full-back Zaidu Sanusi, who is out for the season with a knee injury, and centre-back Ivan Marcano is also out for a long period.

Estimated Lineup

Porto (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa; Joao Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell; Varela, Nico Gonzalez; Galeno, Pepe, Francisco Conceicao; Evanilson.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Lintasa, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.

6 Meetings So Far
10-3-2010 Arsenal 5-0 Porto (Champions League)
2-18-2010 Porto 2-1 Arsenal (Champions League)
11-12-2008 Porto 2-0 Arsenal (Champions League)
1-10-2008 Arsenal 4-0 Porto (Champions League)
7-12-2006 Porto 0-0 Arsenal (Champions League)
27-9-2006 Arsenal 2-0 Porto (Champions League).

Porto's Last 5 Matches (MMSKM)
1-21-2024 Porto 5-0 Moreirense (Portuguese League)
29-1- 2024 Farense 1-3 Porto (Portuguese League)
4-2- 2024 Porto 0-0 Rio Ave (Portuguese League)
13-2- 2024 Arouca 3-2 Porto (Portuguese League)
02-18- 2024 Porto 2-0 Amadora (Portuguese League).

Arsenal's Last 5 Matches (MMMMM)
20-1- 2024 Arsenal 5-0 Palace (Premier League)
31-1- 2024 Forest 1-2 Arsenal (Premier League)
4-2- 2024 Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
11-2- 2024 West Ham 0-6 Arsenal (Premier League)
17-2- 2024 Burnley 0-5 Arsenal (Premier League).