UEFA Champions League: Arsenal Make Club History in Round of 16 Win Over Porto

UEFA Champions League: Arsenal Make Club History in Round of 16 Win Over Porto

Isaac Darko
updated at March 13, 2024 at 6:27 AM
In this article:
Arsenal logo
Arsenal
England
31
FC Porto logo
FC Porto
Portugal
39
UEFA Champions League logo
UEFA UCL
Europe
  • Arsenal have reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2020
  • The Gunners made it to the last 8 after beating Porto in a shootout in the Round of 16 tie
  • The Premier League leaders have rewritten a piece of club history after their UCL victory

Arsenal have achieved an astonishing club record following their 1-0 victory over Porto in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg.

Entering the match with a 1-0 aggregate deficit from their defeat in Portugal, the Gunners sought to end a streak of seven consecutive eliminations from UCL's last 16.

Leandro Trossard's precise first-half goal, orchestrated by a brilliant pass from Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard, dispelled any remaining doubts.

Arsenal celebrate their penalty shootout win over Porto in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg.
Arsenal celebrate their penalty shootout win over Porto in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg. Photo by Adrian Dennis.
Source: AFP

However, the Gunners failed to find the crucial goal by the end of regulation time, that would have secured their advancement on aggregate in a highly physical encounter.

The match instead extended to extra time and eventually to penalties, marking the first occurrence of such an event in a non-final Champions League knockout stage clash in eight years.

Nevertheless, irrespective of the outcome of the shootout, Arsenal had already set a new club record.

Arsenal set club record in UCL

In their last three Champions League matches at home, the Londoners had not conceded a single goal, winning all three with an aggregate score of 12-0.

By defeating Porto, they extended this streak to four consecutive home games in the competition without conceding, setting a new club record, per SportBIBLE.

The night continued to improve for the Gunners as they emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, with Wendell's shot striking the post and David Raya making a superb low save to deny first-leg goal-scorer, Galeno.

The evening wasn't without its challenges for Arteta and his Arsenal squad - Champions League knockout matches seldom are.

However, with an international break approaching, the Gunners can now focus on gearing up for a dual campaign in both the Premier League and the UCL when club football resumes at the end of the month.

Looking at the Champions League last eight

The cast for the last 8 stages of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League is almost complete.

European giants, Arsenal and Barcelona, are among those clubs through to the next round.

Sports Brief has looked at the teams in the Champions League quarter-finals this season.

Authors
Isaac Darko photo
Isaac Darko
Isaac Darko is a La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga editor at Sports Brief with a Degree in Journalism and Communications from Ghana Institute of Journalism (2010)