Having topped Group B, Arsenal now faces Porto, who secured their spot in the knockout rounds by finishing second in Group H behind Barcelona. With other Portuguese teams like Benfica and Braga continuing their European campaigns in the Europa League, Porto stands as the lone representative from Portugal in the Champions League, reaching this stage for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Porto's journey through Group H saw them finish behind Barcelona, despite an impressive record against Royal Antwerp and Shakhtar Donetsk. However, their track record in the Champions League knockout stages hasn't been stellar, with exits at the quarterfinals being the furthest they've gone since the 1993-94 season. Nevertheless, they'll be looking to change that narrative this time around.
In recent years, Porto hasn't fared well against English opponents in the Champions League knockout ties, but they did famously eliminate Manchester United in the last 16 in 2004 before clinching the title.
Heading into the clash, Porto enjoys a 10-game unbeaten streak at the Estadio do Dragao, with a solid defensive record. However, Arsenal comes into the match on the back of impressive performances, including a historic 6-0 win over West Ham United, and they've shown attacking prowess with 21 goals in their last five Premier League games.
While Arsenal has struggled in the last-16 stage in recent years, they have a positive history against Porto, having thrashed them 6-2 on aggregate in the last 16 of the 2009-10 season. Despite this, they've yet to secure an away win against Porto, a record they'll aim to change in this encounter.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Over the weekend, Porto celebrated a victory over Estrela, but it wasn't all good news for their coach, Conceicao. Unfortunately, their left-back, Zaidu Sanusi, suffered a serious injury to his anterior cruciate ligament and had to be taken off on a stretcher. This means he won't be able to play for the rest of the season.Adding to Porto's defensive woes, another defender, Ivan Marcano, is also dealing with an ACL injury and might not return until the end of the campaign. To fill in the gaps, Conceicao might consider bringing in Jorge Sanchez to reinforce the defense, alongside the experienced Pepe.
The team's midfield is also facing uncertainties, with Stephen Eustaquio's availability uncertain due to an injury that kept him out of the recent game. However, Alan Varela managed to overcome discomfort and played the entire match.
Mehdi Taremi, who is expected to move to Inter Milan on a free transfer in the summer, is sidelined with an adductor issue. This means Evanilson will take charge of the attack. Despite Taremi's absence, Evanilson has been in good form, scoring numerous goals throughout the season.
As for Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe returned from an ankle injury in time to be on the bench against Burnley. However, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still recovering from knee, calf, and knock injuries, respectively, and are doubtful for the upcoming matches.
Jurrien Timber is recovering from an ACL injury and has been included in Arsenal's squad for the knockout rounds. Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira are also nearing their comebacks from thigh and groin operations and were spotted training with the team.
Vieira might have a chance to play against his former club, Porto, but it's likely to be a cameo appearance off the bench since Arsenal's current lineup is performing well under Arteta's guidance.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Porto possible starting lineup:Costa; Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Sanchez; Varela, Gonzalez; Conceicao, Pepe, Galeno; Evanilson
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
EXPERT PREDICTION
Porto 1-3 Arsenal
Although Porto will present a tougher challenge compared to West Ham and Burnley, and historically Arsenal has found it difficult to secure wins at the Estadio do Dragao, we believe in Arteta's team to take advantage of Porto's defensive vulnerabilities due to injuries and secure a significant lead to take back to North London after the first leg.
