William Saliba has warned Arsenal they must overcome Porto in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 clash if they are to prove they belong among Europe’s elite.
The Gunners ended the weekend top of the Premier League after Liverpool and Manchester City played out a 1-1 draw, but their immense domestic form has not followed them across the continent as Arsenal face elimination from the Champions League.
A 1-0 defeat in the first leg away from home saw Arsenal put on one of their ugliest displays in recent months and led to some frosty criticism of Porto’s tactics from Mikel Arteta, but Saliba insists the Gunners have learned from that defeat and are ready to rise to the challenge in front of him.
Asked whether Arsenal need to win to cement their place as a European powerhouse, Saliba confessed: “Yes, of course.
“We have to win on Tuesday and we will give everything, we can’t wait to play on Tuesday. We were focused on the game [with Brentford] and now we prepare for Porto at home and we will be ready.
“I think we were horrible [to play against in] the last seven or eight games and now we have to keep going like this, because it is very tough to beat us at home and we will give everything.”
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao laughed off Arteta’s claims that his tactics were too negative, warning the Spaniard that high possession numbers are not a requirement of a good team.
Saliba feels as though Arsenal are better-prepared for the task at hand on Tuesday, adding: “We know they are smart and have experience. We have to compete with that and now we are ready. We have to win and we will give everything – we can’t wait to play.”
Arteta has urged the Emirates crowd to get behind the team and propel them to what could be a famous victory.
“Bring your noise, bring your energy, bring your passion,” Arteta told supporters. “Something beautiful is going to happen.”
