21 February 2024 , 04:00
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Arsenal are set to take on Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie this evening, with the Gunners hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.
They head into the fixture in scintillating form, having won their last five games and scored 21 goals in the process. In fact, the Gunners have demolished both West Ham and Burnley 6-0 and 5-0 respectively in recent weeks and will be desperate to carry their domestic form into Europe.
However, Porto have lost just one of their last ten games across all competitions and Mikel Arteta is conscious of the threat they will pose. With all that in mind, here's the latest news from the Emirates.
Costa fires warning
Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa has vowed they are ready to expose Arsenal's "weak points" heading into the fixture.
"They are quite offensive but we will explore those weaker points in their game," Costa said. "Of course they have weaknesses and of course I’m not going to say what they are. But we will approach every game the same - to go out and win.
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"We do not care if we are playing Arouca or Arsenal, we go out to win every match. A team like Porto always plays to win. We would never look differently or approach a game differently because of who we are playing."
Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is feeling confident (Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)Arsenal's "insider"
Fabio Vieira could make his return from a groin injury this evening and Arteta has admitted the midfielder could give Arsenal an advantage, having been a Porto player before joining the Gunners in 2022.
"He was really pushing because he wanted to be here, that's for sure," Arteta said. "And having an insider, someone that has experience and lived the culture and the club, gives you a lot of information.
"It's very important because in Europe, it's very important to understand the context of the game; where you're going, what type of opponent they are, what type of club they are, what type of atmosphere you're going to be facing. And he gives us a few important information that are relevant for us."
Mikel Arteta has talked up the advantage Fabio Vieira could give Arsenal (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Arteta makes "dream" admission
With Arsenal back in the Champions League this season for the first time in seven years, Arteta is dreaming of reaching the final at Wembley in June.
The Gunners have crashed out in the last 16 the last seven times they have been in Europe's premier cup competition, but Arteta is full of confidence. He said: "We have earned the right to be here. It's been seven years since we've been at the top table for these kind of matches and 14 years since we were able to go to the next stage. That's the challenge.
"We know what is ahead of us but we are very excited to face it and to go for it with full belief, that's for sure. It should be incredible to have that feeling to lift that cup, in London – the 1st of June. It is there. It is in our minds. It is a dream."
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