The first leg of the Champions League 1 8 final ushered in a high-profile match, with Arsenal away to Porto. Arsenal have been eliminated from the EFL Cup and FA Cup, and now only the league and Champions League are up for grabs. At the moment, Arsenal are in excellent league form, with 17 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats, firmly in third place, only narrowly separated from leaders Liverpool and Manchester City. Recently, Arsenal have won five consecutive victories, creating a lot of pressure on the opponents in front of them. However, they have faced challenges in the Champions League this time.
In this game, Arsenal adopted a 433 formation, sending an attacking trident composed of Martinelli, Trossard and Saka. The midfield consisted of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Odegaard, while Kiwior, Gabriel, Saliba and Ben White defended. The goalkeeper position was filled by David Raya. On the bench were Nketiah, Nelson, Patrick Vieira and Jorginho.
At the start of the game, Arsenal almost conceded a goal due to a mistake by Ben White, but Raya was able to strike in time to clear the ball. In the ensuing game, Trossard's long-range shot flew wide of the net for Arsenal's first on goal. However, Saliba's header was on target and Evanilsson's low shot was saved by the goalkeeper. At the end of the first half, the score was still 0-0 and Arsenal failed to make a mark.
The second half continued with Arsenal going all out on the counter-attack and hoping to get on the scoresheet away from home. However, Porto's defence remained solid, with Arsenal's attack unable to break through the opposition's defence. In the end, the game ended 0-1 and Arsenal were on the back foot, but they still had a chance to turn the tide in the second leg.
Although Arsenal did not get the desired result in this game, they showed strong fighting spirit and quality. In the next games, I believe they will be able to adjust their form, achieve better performances and move towards the goal of winning the Champions League.
Do you think Arsenal's defeat in this game is temporary or will it affect their upcoming games? Feel free to leave a message to share your thoughts!