On Wednesday, the last two matches of the round of 16 of this year’s Champions League edition are scheduled, and this time we have analyzed the duel between Porto and Arsenal. The start of the match between the Portuguese and English representatives is scheduled for 9 pm.
Porto: Can the Dragons Surprise Arsenal?
Unfortunately, Porto’s players were unable to defend their Portuguese championship title last season, and in the end, the popular Dragons finished with just two points less than Benfica, who ultimately won the title. Had it not been for their trophy in the country’s Cup, the season would certainly have been deemed unsuccessful. However, it’s worth remembering that the Portuguese representative managed to reach the knockout phase of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, a feat the Dragons have achieved again this time.
In the group stage, one of Portugal’s most trophy-laden clubs finished second on the table, with the same number of points as the top-placed Barcelona, who ended up in first place mainly thanks to a double victory over Porto. In the six matches played, Sérgio Conceição’s men achieved four victories along with two aforementioned defeats to Barça, and in the crucial match, the Portuguese representative was better on their home ground against Shakhtar, in a fantastic duel that saw eight goals, ending 5:3.
However, we must be realistic and admit that we expected much more from Porto in this year’s edition of the Portuguese Primeira Liga. Currently, the popular Dragons are in third place on the table, trailing seven points behind Sporting and Benfica, who share the top position, with the note that Sporting has a game in hand and, as things stand, the Lions are the main favorites for the championship title.
In their last five league matches, Sérgio Conceição’s pupils have achieved three wins, but also suffered a defeat and a draw. In the previous round, Porto celebrated a 2:0 victory at their stadium against Estrela, but before that, they had two very poor matches – first at their home ground against Rio Ave, which unexpectedly ended without goals, and then away at Arouca, where the host won 3:2.
Finally, looking at the head-to-head matches between the Portuguese and English representatives, in the last five encounters in all competitions, Porto has won twice, the Gunners twice, and one match ended in a draw. It’s noteworthy that the last duel between these two teams saw Arsenal win with a more than convincing 5:0 in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 in 2010.
Arsenal: The Gunners in Top Form at the Best Possible Moment!
Arsenal came very close to crowning their excellent performances from last season, but ultimately shifted into high gear in the final phase of the championship and deservedly secured their third consecutive English Premier League title, something that seemed almost impossible at one point, as the Gunners had even a double-digit lead in the first part of the season.
Regardless, Arsenal finished second in the table, which was certainly a great achievement, as the Gunners, after several years of absence, qualified for the most prestigious European club competition, which had been their primary goal for years.
Speaking of the elite competition, it’s worth noting that Arteta’s men played brilliantly in the Champions League group stage, finishing first in their group with a four-point lead over second-placed PSV. In the six matches played, the English representative achieved four victories, one draw, and one loss, which came in an away game against Lens, who have been playing incredibly well at home in recent seasons.
For the round of 16 in this elite competition, the former finalist drew Porto, and all things considered, analyzing how both teams have been playing recently, it’s clear that the team from London is the big favorite in this tie.
Looking at this year’s edition of the Premier League, the impression is that nothing can be criticized about the current English vice-champion so far. The club from the capital is currently stationed in second place in the table, two points behind the leaders Liverpool, but also two points ahead of third-placed Manchester City, who, to be fair, have a game in hand.
Especially encouraging are their recent performances, as Arsenal has achieved three very important victories in their last three matches in the world’s top league, scoring fourteen goals, which perhaps best demonstrates how well this team has been playing in the last month.
It all started with a triumph over Liverpool, ending 3:1, after which the Gunners played two brilliant away matches, first against West Ham (0:6) and then in the last round against Burnley (0:5), which is why all Arsenal players are undoubtedly arriving at Dragao in a very good mood.
Our Betting Suggestions
Even though Porto has been playing brilliantly at their home ground in European matches for years, we still believe that the popular Dragons don’t stand much of a chance against the in-form Arsenal, so we advise you to bet on Arsenal to Win, for which the bookmaker 22Bet has prepared an odds of 1.64.
It’s quite realistic that the visitors will score two or more goals in this duel, and Arsenal Total 2 Over 1.5 Goals is paid by 22Bet with odds of 1.81.
Finally, we believe that the Gunners will achieve a victory in this duel much more easily than expected, so we boldly advise you to focus on the 2-2 Arsenal to win transition, with odds of 2.43 at 22Bet.
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