Arsenal vs Porto LIVE: Champions League team news, line-ups and more tonight

Tonight is Mikel Arteta’s fifth European knockout match at home as Arsenal manager – and he is still looking for his first win.

The previous four have all come in the Europa League – despite reaching the semi-fnals in 2021, there was a 0-1 defeat to Olympiacos, a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague, and a 0-0 draw wtih Villarreal.

Last season saw a defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the last-16.

The stakes are higher tonight. Arsenal have to win and it would be a good time for Arteta to end this particular streak.

Arsenal’s consistency in the later years of Arsene Wenger’s tenure was lauded, but the Gunners routinely fell short of actually competing for the biggest titles.

That was the case in the Champions League as Arsenal were knocked out in the last-16 every year between 2011 and 2017.

Some of those defeats were hammerings to the likes of Bayern Munich (10-2 in 2017) or Barcelona (5-1 in 2016), others were grim shocks – like when Dimitar Berbatov led Monaco to victory in 2015.

After storming back to rescue a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, Arsenal travelled to the Camp Nou and took a shock lead against European champions Barcelona.

But Barca hit back as a certain Lionel Messi scored FOUR times to send Pep Guardiola’s side through to the semi-finals.

Arsenal, remarkably, have not played a Champions League quarter-final since.

Mikel Arteta didn’t rule Gabriel Martinelli out of tonight’s match during his press conference yesterday, but the Arsenal winger has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming Brazil squad.

That’s due to the injury that he picked up in the 6-0 win over Sheffield United, and which forced Martinelli to sit out Saturday’s win against Brentford.

Martinelli sat out training yesterday and Arteta said: “We still have 24 hours and we’re trying to have everyone fit for tomorrow.”

Arsenal will need to be more “streetwise” than they were last time out in Porto – where the hosts frustrated Arsenal by slowing Arteta’s team down and stopping their attacks with a series of fouls.

Captain Martin Odegaard believes Brentford’s approach at the Emirates on Saturday was good preparation.

“We will take a lot of good things,” Odegaard said. “It was a really good practice for this game coming up. We had to deal with a lot of different situation, a lot of time wasting.

“We had to control our emotions the whole game and I think we did that brilliantly. It was really good practice for another big game and we did really well.

“Top of the table so of course we have to build on that momentum and the good feeling we have at the moment. That’s the goal, to keep that going.”

Arsenal were stunned by Galeno’s last-minute goal in Porto but their response has been impressive. Arsenal returned to Premier League action to thrash Newcastle 4-1 and Sheffield United 6-0, before that late-win against Brentford on Saturday night.

Can they continue that momentum tonight?

Mikel Arteta wants to create a special night at the Emirates as Arsenal bid to reach their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 against Porto.

“That’s the opportunity that we have. In front of our people, in our stadium for 96 minutes,” he said. “Bring your energy, bring your noise and let’s do it together. I think the impact that they can make is incredible. I don’t think they realise.

“It’s a beautiful opportunity to live one of those nights. It’s been 14 years (since a Champions League quarter-final) so everything that we put in there is going to be worth it.”

Arsenal 3-0 Porto (3-1 on aggregate)

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Trossard

Porto: Costa; João Mário, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell; Gonzalez, Varela; Conceicao, Pepê, Galeno; Evanilson

Gabriel Martinelli, who missed out on Arsenal’s win over Brentford after picking up a “slight cut” in the thrashing of Sheffield United last week, will play no part in what is a huge blow.

Oleksandr Zinchenko returned to action from the bench, but Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber remain out. David Raya will return in goal after Aaron Ramsdale stepped in against Brentford.

Porto sit third in Liga Portugal, behind rivals Sporting and Benfica. Striker Mehdi Taremi missed the first leg and is still out due to injury but Pepe remains as fit as ever and will captain the side at the age of 41.