Champions League | Arsenal scrape past Porto on penalties; Barcelona beat Napoli to reach quarterfinals | Maqvi News

David Raya was Arsenal’s hero in the penalty shootout against FC Porto in the Champions League Round of 16 clash on March 12, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters

David Raya proved the hero as Arsenal survived a penalty shootout to scrape past Porto and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 14 years after a tense last-16 duel had ended 1-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

Porto, who won the opening leg 1-0, proved stubborn opposition for the Premier League leaders and Arsenal fans must have feared another night of European heartache.

But Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all tucked away their spot kicks with clinical precision and Arsenal keeper Raya made two saves.

He got the slightest of touches to send Wendell’s effort against the post and then saved Galeno’s penalty to send Arsenal through 4-2 in the shootout and spark wild celebrations.

Leandro Trossard’s goal shortly before halftime had levelled the tie but Arsenal struggled to break down a disciplined Porto side who produced a defensive masterclass.

Extra time failed to separate the sides but Mikel Arteta’s team held their nerve to snap a run of seven successive exits at the last-16 stage. The last time they reached the quarterfinals in 2010 they also beat Porto in the last 16 and they will go into Friday’s draw full of confidence that they can go further.

“For them to do it when the club hasn’t done it for 14 years that tells you the difficulty,” Arteta, whose side have won eight successive Premier League games to edge ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool, told reporters. “They are willing to sacrifice anything to win.

It was hard on Porto who produced a classic away performance with 41-year-old defender Pepe a rock at the back and Evanilson twice going close to stunning the hosts.

But they were left deflated as their dreadful record away to English clubs continued with a 20th defeat from 24 games.

Barcelona beat Napoli 3-1]

Barcelona reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in four years after a thrilling 3-1 home win over Napoli in their last-16 second leg gave them a deserved 4-2 aggregate victory.

Early goals by Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo set the hosts on their way and, after Amir Rrahmani cut the deficit before the break, Robert Lewandowski wrapped up the win with a late third.

Napoli had never beaten Barca in their previous five meetings and it turned out to be a repeat of the 2020 Champions League meeting with a 3-1 home win for the Spanish side after a 1-1 draw in Naples.

That was the last time the Catalans had won a knockout stage game in the competition and their most recent qualification for the last eight.

“Very happy, Barcelona are in the top eight in Europe. It was a well-deserved qualification, a game dominated in attack and defence but also an excellent game by Napoli,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez told Mediaset.

“Happy with the qualification and we’ll see how the draw goes. Proud to be back in the quarter-finals after years.”