12 March 2024 , 23:39
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Mikel Arteta lauded David Raya and his goalkeeper coaches after the Arsenal shot-stopper excelled in a dramatic penalty shootout to send his team through to the Champions League quarter-finals at FC Porto's expense.
The Gunners headed into the match needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg and levelled the tie up on aggregate through Leandro Trossard on the stroke of half-time. The two sides couldn't be separated after the break and penalties were required to decide who would advance.
Raya was the Arsenal hero, saving two spot-kicks in the shootout to book a quarter-final spot. The Gunners' 4-2 win on penalties means they have reached the competition's final eight for the first time in 14 years.
Reacting post-match, Arteta told TNT Sports: " So happy. It has been 14 years, which is a long time for a club like Arsenal and it shows how difficult it was. We really had to dig in to find the magic moment at the end. We're starting to create an unbelievable energy in the stadium, we were all pushing to get it done and together we have done it.
"You're very nervous [watching a penalty shootout], hoping for the best but you know it's a bit of a lottery. We had prepared the day before so credit to the goalkeeping coaches and everyone that has contributed. It's really difficult to play against Porto, they are really competitive. We didn't get many moments where we could control the game, they're a really good side.
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"We scored a goal in a really important moment, we tried to create chances and in the end we managed to do it. There's a lot at stake and every detail is important, you're defending your team on every decision and it's part of the game."
Arsenal will now face one of Europe's elite in the next phase of the competition for a big to reach the final four. The Gunners have never won the competition but did reach the final in 2006 against Barcelona.
Join the debate! What did you make of Arsenal's performance against Porto? Let us know here.
David Raya was Arsenal's hero in the penalty shootout after saving two spot-kicksArteta's men came into Tuesday night's fixture at the top of the Premier League. They will juggle their European exploits over the coming weeks with their bid to end a domestic title drought which now spans two decades.
When he was quizzed about the quality of the remaining teams in the competition, Arteta insisted that he and his squad were relishing the challenge, stressing that they wanted to be challenging the elite for major honours.
He added: "Unbelievable, that's where we want to be. We've been patient, worked so hard and a lot of people have made good decisions and showed courage in difficult moments and this is where you want to be."
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