Arsenal enter a week of season-defining fixtures when they host Sporting CP at the Emirates in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday night. Mikel Arteta’s side have a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Portugal, thanks to a late strike from Kai Havertz.
Having lost to AFC Bournemouth over the weekend, the Premier League leaders face up to two games that could make or break their season. A Champions League exit at the hands of Sporting is not unlikely given their first-leg performance, while defeat to in-form Manchester City at the Etihad next weekend could spell the end for Arsenal’s title hopes.
Sporting meanwhile, are in a title race of their own, and thus could not rotate much in their 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Estrela da Amadora over the weekend. However, Rui Borges was able to rest his defenders who would appreciate a week’s rest after facing Arsenal’s frontline.
Here’s everything you need to know about this quarterfinal second leg.
How to watch:
The match will be shown on TNT Sports in the UK, Paramount+ in the U.S., SonyLIV in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN’s live updates.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Wednesday, April 15 at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET; 12:30 a.m. IST, Thursday and 5 a.m. AEST, Thursday)
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Referee: François Letexier (France)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Injury and Team News:
Sporting CP
Nuno Santos, F: hamstring, OUT
Fotis Ioannidis, F: knee, DOUBT
Luis Guilherme, F: strain, DOUBT
Arsenal
Jurriën Timber, D: muscle, DOUBT
Riccardo Calafiori, D: knock, DOUBT
Martin Ødegaard, M: discomfort, DOUBT
Bukayo Saka, F: muscle, DOUBT
Mikel Merino, M: foot, OUT
Talking Points:
Arsenal face test of their mettle
To say Arsenal are firmly under pressure is putting it mildly. Arteta’s side have lost three of their last four games, matching their total from their first 49 games this season.
Arsenal have unravelled in April in previous seasons under Arteta, and there is the danger of history repeating itself, as they lost out on the Carabao Cup, bowed out of the FA Cup and suffered a hugely damaging defeat at home that could wreck their title challenge.
While Arsenal have home advantage on paper, the Emirates has proved to be a bit of a liability instead of a strength, as the crowd’s anxiousness has fed into the players — as was the case against Bournemouth.
A one-goal lead against Sporting CP means little, and a potential UCL exit at the hands of Portuguese opponents could see their season crumble, and would be the worst possible preparation for the trip to the Etihad. Progress to the UCL semifinals is of paramount importance to Arteta’s side, who face a real test of their ability to withstand adversity.
South Americans offer Sporting their best route to victory
Sporting’s Colombian front man, Luis Suárez, has ensured that their fans have not missed Viktor Gyökeres this season, and has the perfect chance to underline that feeling in London. For a player who idolises Ronaldo Nazario and Radamel Falcao, the Colombian striker offers different qualities upfront.
His bruising nature ensured both William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães had their hands full in the first leg, with the Arsenal pair unlikely to look forward to a spell of four days where they face up to Suarez and Erling Haaland.
The return of Geovany Quenda from injury means Arsenal’s right side will also have their hands full, with Ben White once again likely to face Sporting’s marauding left-back Maxi Araújo. Diagonal long balls to the Uruguayan were one of Sporting’s best attacking avenues in the first leg, and they can perhaps exploit this once more — especially if Jurriën Timber remains absent.
Araújo’s combative nature also means he’s unlikely to wilt even if Sporting are under the cosh, and Borges ought to ensure he’s able to platform one of his best threats again.
Zubimendi’s form raises concerns for Arsenal
MartÃn Zubimendi has featured in 47 of Arsenal’s 53 games this season. The Spanish midfielder made a total of 48 appearances for Real Sociedad last season (which was the highest of his career), and at 3752 minutes played this year is Arteta’s most-used outfield player this season. He’s also become the fulcrum of the Spanish midfield with Rodri being absent through injury.
It’s fair to say all that football has caught up to Zubimendi. The intelligent positioning, line-breaking passes, metronomic use of possession from the first half of the season have all but disappeared, with the Spaniard now looking a shadow of himself. His passing has turned stale, his positioning has suffered and consequently Arsenal’s build-up play has gone off the boil.
Zubimendi was culpable for not tracking Alex Scott as the Bournemouth midfielder scored his side’s winner over the weekend. Arsenal’s players were seen consoling the Spaniard at full-time, but perhaps Arteta ought to consider taking him out of the firing line and offering him a breather.
Can Arsenal’s attack find fluency?
A rather large consequence of Zubimendi’s issues has been Arsenal’s build-up play, or lack thereof. Arteta’s side have been unable to deal with the opposition press in recent times, with all of Man City, Southampton and Bournemouth using it to great effect. Sporting’s press was also fantastic, but they came up against an inspired David Raya.
The absence of Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka in recent times, two of Arsenal’s best players under pressure, has resulted in rather sterile possession from Arteta’s side, who have been reduced to long balls forward for Gyökeres to chase – unsuccessfully.
Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz combined brilliantly for Arsenal’s goal in Lisbon, and perhaps that is Arteta’s best route to goal in London, although the returning Eberechi Eze could also have a say in this contest.
Creativity tends to go missing when under pressure, and with Arsenal’s season on the line, their players have to be braver with the ball than they have been in recent times.
What do the numbers say?
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Arsenal are unbeaten against Sporting CP, winning three and drawing three of the six games the sides have played against each other.
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The last time these two sides met in a European knockout tie, Sporting eliminated Arsenal from the 2022-23 Europa League, in a penalty shootout.
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Arsenal have never reached UCL semifinals in two consecutive seasons.
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Sporting CP could become the first Portuguese team to reach a UCL semifinal since Porto in 2003-04.
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Kai Havertz has scored in his last two games against Sporting, and in six of his last eight UCL appearances.
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Sporting have only won two of their last 14 games against English opposition.
