- Arsenal defeated Porto 4-2 on penalties in the Champions League
- David Raya saved two penalties as the Gunners reached the quarter-finals
- It was huge for Arsenal to find a way to beat Brentford – there are so many things bouncing their way now. Listen to the It all starts podcast
David Raya emerged as Arsenal’s hero as they booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a bad-blooded win over Porto.
Goalkeeper Raya saved two penalties in a thrilling shoot-out after Leandro Trossard leveled the scoreline and sent the Emirates into delirium as the Gunners secured their place in the last eight for the first time since 2010.
But the match was marred by clashes between both groups of players and benches, while rival managers Mikel Arteta and Sergio Conceicao, who accused his counterpart of insulting his family, became involved in a heated confrontation after the final whistle.
‘It was a magical evening. It was what we expected against a strong opponent, who was very well organised, said Arteta.
‘We scored a beautiful goal. That is a huge experience for us, we needed penalties and we prepared well for that.
Mikel Arteta celebrated a ‘magical night’ for Arsenal as they reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years
Arteta and his counterpart Sergio Conceicao (above) were involved in a heated confrontation after the final whistle
Conceicao accused Arteta of insulting his family in Spanish during the match
Your browser does not support iframes.
“We found a way, I can see how much they want to win. How much they sacrificed. If you play like that, sooner or later things will go your way.
‘I’ve probably never experienced such an atmosphere in the Emirates, it was amazing from start to finish. Big thanks to them and today I thought they had an impact on the game.
Speaking about the shoot-out, Arteta added: ‘We practice on the training ground, a few of them missed but ultimately you have to do it in the evening.
“It’s a big step for the club, the best part is that we are not satisfied and want to move on to the next round.”
Raya added: “It’s obviously a great feeling for me personally, the first time in the Champions League and for the club to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in so many years.
‘We played a very good match from the start. We dominated, created chances and it ended in penalties.
The Gunners won 1-0 that evening, but needed penalties to progress to the quarter-finals
David Raya was the hero as he saved two of Porto’s four penalties in the shootout
‘We have worked a lot on penalties this year and all the hard work with the goalkeeping coach and the team has paid off.’
Conceicao accused Arteta of disrespecting his family during the match.
When asked about the clash with the Gunners boss after the final whistle, Conceicao replied: ‘The result was unjust. The team deserved to continue. What Arteta said to the bench in Spanish offended my family. He needs to focus on training his team.”
Arteta declined to comment on the matter after the match.