‘I informed Arsenal that this is the Champions League, but they thought it was West Ham and Burnley who they would score five goals.’ Fc Porto coach Sergio Conceicao blasts Arteta for his incorrect tactics in yesterday’s defeat

Porto’s head coach, Sergio Conceicao, has offered a response to Mikel Arteta’s assertion that his team lacked intent during Arsenal’s Champions League loss on Wednesday. In the match at Estadio do Dragao, Arsenal seemed headed for a goalless draw until Porto seized an opportunity from Gabriel Martinelli’s error, with Galeno scoring a remarkable curling shot from outside the box past David Raya. However, Arsenal failed to exhibit the same dynamism seen in the Premier League, notably failing to produce a shot on target in the Champions League for the first time since 2011.

Arteta, reflecting on Porto’s tactics post-defeat, remarked, “We are very used to playing against these defensive blocks, especially in the first half we lacked certain things. We’ll learn from it and improve our return game.” He commended his team’s attitude, stating, “Our team’s best quality was its attitude. We wanted to play. We did not lack aggression. Faced with such a low block and a team that has no intention of playing, this is what we must do.”

When asked about Arteta’s assessment of Porto’s approach to the game, Conceicao responded, “It’s an opinion. They wanted to play, and we wanted to win.” He also alluded to Arteta’s background, stating, “Arteta comes from the [Pep] Guardiola school, which is led by the world’s most successful coach. They believe that having greater ball possession is the greatest approach to beat their opponents, although this is dependent on the squad and its players.”