Introduction
Arsenal are set to host Porto at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday in what is expected to be a blockbuster match. Wanderson Galeno’s superb 94th-minute curling effort in the first leg means that this tie is delicately poised, with both sides believing they have a chance.
Although they would have been disappointed to concede so late, the Gunners can have no complaints, as they failed to get a shot on target throughout the game.
About the game
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side will be eager to improve on the first leg’s blunt showing. They dominated possession for long periods but didn’t look like scoring from open play at any point. While it may have been an off day for the Gunners, there can be no denying that Porto put up a fantastic defensive display.
The visitors will need to repeat that defensive performance on Tuesday. They have traditionally struggled against English teams in Europe. Sergio Conceicao’s team has won just nine of its 46 meetings with English teams in European competitions.
However, Conceicao will hope that an extra recovery day works in his team’s favor. Porto plays Portimonense on Friday evening, while Arsenal won’t be in action until the next day when they host Brentford, so the away side will come into this clash as the fresher team.
That will not deter Arsenal in their quest to continue what has been a fantastic season so far. They have kept in touch with the Premier League pace-setters, having demolished Sheffield United 6-0 in their last outing. That win took their goals tally to 21 in the last four league games, showing they are currently in scintillating goalscoring form.
They are a well-balanced team, as seen in the fact that they only conceded once in those four league games. Overall, they have won seven of their last eight games in all competitions, with the loss in Portugal being the only blemish. Their quest to right that wrong has been strengthened by the return of Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus from injury, who are seemingly set to feature.
The Best Betting Odds for Arsenal vs Porto
| Markets | Odds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal win |
1.24 
|
1.26 
|
1.24 
|
1.22 
|
1.264 
|
|
| Draw |
6.40
|
5.60
|
6.20
|
6.35
|
6.60
|
|
| Porto win |
12.25
|
13.00
|
12.00
|
13.00
|
13.70
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
1.58
|
1.62
|
1.60
|
1.62
|
1.681
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
1.58
|
1.62
|
1.60
|
1.62
|
1.681
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
1.58
|
1.62
|
1.60
|
1.62
|
1.681
|
|
Conclusion
Arsenal have a poor recent record in the Champions League knockout stages, having not progressed beyond the Round of 16 since 2009/10. However, that would be the incentive for this current crop, and we believe that they have what it takes to overturn the first-leg deficit and topple Porto. The overall quality and depth of the Gunners’ squad surpasses that of Porto, but more importantly, they will have the home crowd behind them. With Porto having only ever won once in all of their trips to England, we simply cannot see beyond an Arsenal win here.
Samuel Okunsolawo is an iGaming expert with over six years of experience in content writing. His passion for simplifying complex concepts makes his articles accessible and useful for beginners and experts alike. With a focus on sports betting trends and reliable betting sites, Samuel’s articles are an excellent resource for those seeking guidance and staying up to date in the world of iGaming.