NEWS
On 9 March 2010, Nicklas Bendtner scored a penalty to seal his hat-trick in a 5-0 Arsenal obtain over Porto in the Champions League, as the Gunners confirmed their train in the quarter-finals by overturning a first-leg deficit.
It has taken 14 years and three days, however Arsenal are aid in the Champions League last eight – with Porto, penalties and a 2nd-leg comeback over again in the script.
This time, it was once no longer a penalty scorer who took the headlines however a penalty saver, with David Raya denying Porto twice in a 4-2 shootout victory.
Arsenal had recovered from a last-gasp 1-0 loss in Portugal, with Leandro Trossard’s aim forcing overtime in a tie on the entire excessive on stress however low on quality.
But when Raya flew to his left to stop Galeno’s penalty, it sparked a release of unbridled pleasure in Emirates Stadium, merely a pair of decade and a half in the making.
“It has been 14 years, which is a truly long time for a club love Arsenal and it presentations how sophisticated it was once,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports activities.
“We genuinely had to dig in to salvage the magic 2nd on the raze. We’re starting to compose an good power in the stadium, we were all pushing to win it accomplished and together we beget accomplished it.”
Arsenal’s 2009-10 Champions League advertising and marketing campaign marked the raze of their situation as a European power.
Having dismantled Porto in the last 16, they suffered a identical destiny themselves on the palms of Barcelona in the quarter-finals – including a 4-1 2nd-leg loss at some stage in which Lionel Messi scored all four.
With their return to the Champions League quarter-finals coming days after Arsenal went top of the Premier League, there could be rising hope the Gunners are re-establishing themselves as a continental power with the mentality to obtain tough video games on the largest stage.
- Raya delivers when it matters most for Arsenal
- Arteta ‘insulted my family’ claims Porto’s Conceicao
‘The ‘s very wide, the fallout is bigger’
“Sure this result itself is terribly wide, however the fallout overall is even bigger,” frail Arsenal defender Matthew Upson told BBC 5 Are residing.
“In the Premier League and in the rest of this competitors, there are fairly plenty of positives for Arsenal to take.
“This trip, worthwhile a penalty shootout in opposition to tough, wily opponents love Porto and coming thru it, they’re going to beget gained so unparalleled from this match.”
When the elation dies down, this was once no longer a glamour European tie for the ages. There were 74 fouls over the two legs – the most in a Champions League knockout tie since 2015-16.
But Arsenal are thru – battered and bruised, however indubitably higher for the trip.
“The trip of being in a penalty shootout at this stage, and worthwhile it, is one thing that the gamers will undergo in mind and take plenty from,” talked about frail Gunners winger Theo Walcott on 5 Are residing.
“They could know what it takes to obtain these moments now.
“They were pissed off now and then by Porto, however they dealt with it, will stamp it and know the contrivance no longer to react to it going forwards.”
After beating Porto in 2010, Arsenal suffered seven exits in the Champions League last 16 in seven consecutive seasons.
That bustle included some abject humiliations, including their last study this stage in 2017 when they were dumped out 10-2 on combination by Bayern Munich.
‘I’m so joyful with the crew’
That was once followed by a six-twelve months spell outdoors of Europe’s premier competitors – however the hot squad are set up of dwelling on making up for misplaced time, and restoring Arsenal’s elite standing.
“Obviously it be a pleasant feeling for me in my thought, first time in the Champions League and for the club to win into the quarter-finals for the first time in so a long time,” Raya told TNT Sports activities.
“This suggests the entire lot. You play soccer for all this stuff and I’m lucky to be taking half in for Arsenal, to be in the Champions League and to win thru to the quarter-finals. We’re staunch going to revel in the night time.”
Whereas Arsenal are using excessive for now, the job is staying there – starting with their subsequent fixture.
In 19 days, after the international shatter, Arsenal hotfoot to Man City in a Premier League blockbuster. Preserving this perfect feeling going until then shall be key.
“I’m buzzing. I’m so joyful with the crew, we showed fairly plenty of personality,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka told TNT Sports activities.
“Appropriate now we are top of the Premier League and into the quarter- finals [of the Champions League].
“That provides us fairly plenty of perception that we can slump to the Etihad and win a result. These are the video games we play soccer for.”
For Arteta, a manager juggling a Champions League advertising and marketing campaign and a home title bustle for the first time, this represents an entire current disclose – however one he’s willing for.
“That is the set up we want to be,” he talked about. “We’ve been affected person, labored so exhausting and fairly plenty of of us beget made perfect selections and showed courage in sophisticated moments. Right here’s the set up you want to be.”
