Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and Mikel Arteta shared a joke as Arsenal overcame Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal secured passage to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 14 years when they beat Porto by virtue of a penalty shootout.
The Gunners have never won Europe’s elite club competition before. The closest they came was reaching the final in 2006, when Thierry Henry was still a part of the squad.
However, the north London club will feel that they stand a fair chance of triumphing in the tournament this time around. Whilst they aren’t favourites, they are in blistering form and some of the traditional continental super-clubs, such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich, are not currently the force they once were.
All eyes will now be on Friday’s quarter final draw. Arsenal already know that Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG, and Manchester City will be with them in the hat. On top of that, two out of Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and PSV Eindhoven will join them to round-out the last eight.
Mikel Arteta will believe that his side have what it takes to get past anyone in the next round. However, the Gunners will certainly have to be at their best in order to achieve that. They will also need to make the Emirates Stadium a fortress. Arteta called on the Arsenal fans to generate a special atmosphere for the visit of Porto, and they stood up to that task. The supporters will now need to make a habit of creating a hostile environment on big European nights.
Mikel Arteta shares joke with Thierry Henry ahead of Arsenal win v Porto
Before the match, Arteta spent some time pitch-side with the CBS Sports team, where Henry was amongst the pundits. The pair shared a brief time as teammates at Arsenal, when the iconic French striker returned to the club on loan in 2012.
On his first game back in north London, Henry scored for Arsenal against Leeds United in an FA Cup clash. It was a magical moment which will live long in the memory at the Emirates Stadium. Recalling that moment, Arteta pointed out that he was well-positioned in the penalty area at that time.
Arteta jokingly complained to Henry that “I was there. He didn’t pass me the ball!”
Arsenal’s aim now is to make more Emirates Stadium magic this season, and memories that will last a lifetime for all involved with the club, as they are currently eyeing up glory in both the Champions League and the Premier League.
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