Sérgio Conceição
FC PortoMikel Arteta
Arsenal
Meeting Highlights…ARSENAL TITLE RACE
The championship is extremely important, but I don't think that they will give up on the Champions League. With increasingly rich squads... we are talking about the most competitive, most disputed and most financially capable championship in the world. The squads are filled with different solutions. There are a lot of quality, there are a lot of quality solutions.
…ARSENAL
They have several moments of pressure on the opponent. It's true that at first, with the ball from our goalkeeper, which is different from a collective team climb, they are very aggressive at that moment of the game. It's a team very together, very compact. And we had to understand and look at many games, not only in the English league but in the Champions League and define what we wanted. Certainly with this way of defending there will be some spaces to explore and that's what we worked. When they have the ball, we also have to be bold, but don't be too bold because then we also uncover a little bit at the back and they have very wide and deep players, like the wingers, and they cause imbalances.
…ABOUT WIN
We know Arsenal's offensive power and we know that we will have to suffer at some moments in the game, that is absolutely normal. We will have to be very supportive, compact and cohesive on a defensive level and also have a bit of luck, luck that takes a lot of work. Only by working hard will we get that bit of luck which is also necessary in games.
Sérgio Conceição
Manager on FC Porto…ARSENAL TITLE RACE
The championship is extremely important, but I don't think that they will give up on the Champions League. With increasingly rich squads... we are talking about the most competitive, most disputed and most financially capable championship in the world. The squads are filled with different solutions. There are a lot of quality, there are a lot of quality solutions.
…ARSENAL
They have several moments of pressure on the opponent. It's true that at first, with the ball from our goalkeeper, which is different from a collective team climb, they are very aggressive at that moment of the game. It's a team very together, very compact. And we had to understand and look at many games, not only in the English league but in the Champions League and define what we wanted. Certainly with this way of defending there will be some spaces to explore and that's what we worked. When they have the ball, we also have to be bold, but don't be too bold because then we also uncover a little bit at the back and they have very wide and deep players, like the wingers, and they cause imbalances.
…ABOUT WIN
We know Arsenal's offensive power and we know that we will have to suffer at some moments in the game, that is absolutely normal. We will have to be very supportive, compact and cohesive on a defensive level and also have a bit of luck, luck that takes a lot of work. Only by working hard will we get that bit of luck which is also necessary in games.
Mikel Arteta
Manager on Arsenal…FAVOURITE
That’s great. We have earned the right to be here. We haven’t been here for seven years and haven’t got to the next stage for 14. That’s the challenge. We are excited to go for it with full belief.
…FABIO VIEIRA
Especially with the last injury when he had some momentum and performances he got injured, that broke up his rhythm, just like last season. He’s a player with enormous talent and we will get the best out of him. He was really pushing because he wanted to be here, that’s for sure. Having an insider, someone who has experience as someone who has lived the culture and the club.
…LONG WAY IN CL
It’s great. We have earned the right to be here. It’s been seven years since we’ve been at the top table for these kinds 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 faith, that’s for sure.