Coach Speaks Ahead Of FC Porto Champions League Clash: ‘Now we know them a bit better’

Follow Us Now!

Optimistic Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta says ‘Now we know them a bit better’ concerning FC Porto whom they will meet again today after losing to them during an away match in the ongoing Champions League competition.

‘Every week, every opponent has their strengths and weaknesses and the way that they approach the game,’ he said during the pre-match press conference.

‘Now we know them a bit better. We have played these kind of games many times in the Premier League, we played one two days ago.

‘We’ll just focus on being ourselves and do more of the things that we can control better than we did a few weeks ago.

‘The game context is very important and we know that we have a long match to play and there can be moments when things go your way and moments that can change dramatically quickly. Emotionally we have to be very prepared to play in those games.’

Gunners are behind FC Porto in aggregates after a sound loss at the future opponents’ home at Portugal.

Arteta will be looking to pitch Premier League’s best team for the moment against one of Portugal’s finests, but knew the game would be a complex one.

‘We’re certainly going to have to tweak a few things to generate much more than what we did against them,’he said. ‘That’s the level of the Champions League; you’re facing top teams. The fact that there are two games as well plays on your mind and we’re going to have to be better tomorrow.

‘We have to prepare in the best possible way, make a lot of right decisions and then be brave and have the courage to make things happen. You can’t wait in these situations, you have to go and make things happen and that’s the approach tomorrow.’

A loss to FC Porto would extend Arsenal’s struggle to reach the Champions League quarter finals to more than 14 years.