Porto 0-0 Arsenal – Champions League LIVE: Gunners look to plant one foot in the quarter-finals… while Napoli and Barcelona go head-to-head

This has been a bit of a slow burner so far.

Neither side have had a shot yet. Arsenal are having all the ball, but are struggling to find good space going forward.

They may need to take it up a gear – I hope they do for our sakes.

Lamine Yamal has made history tonight.

At age 16 years and 223 days he is the youngest player ever to appear in a Champions League knockout match.

He has started well so far for Barcelona, already causing Napoli problems. He had a shot fly just over the bar after only a couple of minutes.

The atmosphere is incredible inside the Estadio do Dragao.

It will take a lot to keep these fans quiet, but Arsenal are certainly going to try their best.

They have kept the ball well so far, but Porto look well set-up defensively.

They may need to be patient.

Early yellow card for Declan Rice.

It looked like a sliding tackle that would never end, a bit like that famous Sol Campbell one for England.

Galeno is the player he wiped out, and he doesn’t look to be doing too well.

Both games are now underway.

What a night it is set to be, let’s hope it lives up to expectations.

The atmosphere is bubbling in Porto, can Arsenal ruin the host’s night?

Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is all set for another special night of Champions League football.

While we have our focus on Arsenal, this is also set to be a mouth-watering clash, no matter either side’s form.

Last season you would not have wanted to miss this match-up, so let’s hope they can refind there form.

I think Barcelona are in a slightly better place to do so.

Sami Mokbel, Chief Football Reporter, in Porto:

So it’s 14 years since Arsenal have played in the Champions League quarter final. Tonight they have a great opportunity of making it through to the last eight.

Barring a major upset they’ll defeat Porto over two legs – and then it’s anybody’s ball game. Porto’s best hope of progressing comes tonight.

The Emirates in a fortnight’s time will be a cauldron. Victory tonight gives the Portuguese a chance.

Mikel Arteta, speaking to TNT Sports about making no changes:

One is momentum, one is the players performances give me no reason to change anything.

The more they play the more they understand each other. We have to build on that.

Arsenal have been looking sharp in the warm-up.

They are certainly men on a mission, could they be in for another big win tonight?

When the Gunners are in full flow they are a joy to watch, one of the best in Europe.

How key will David Raya be tonight?

After taking the gloves over from Aaron Ramsdale, the Spanish keeper has certainly had his critics.

Mikel Arteta has stuck to his guns though, and Raya has certainly started to settle in.

If he can keep a clean sheet tonight, that will be huge.

Is Evanilson the man who could break Arsenal hearts tonight?

The 24-year-old striker has been on fire this campaign, netting 19 goals in 27 appearances, with four of those coming in the Champions League.

The Gunners will go a long way to keeping a clean sheet if they keep the Brazilian quiet. If they don’t, they could be in trouble.

I imagine lots of teams have been keeping a keen eye on this man – Arsenal are in need of a striker…

This is a tough question to answer, and I want to hear your thoughts.

Arsenal are embroiled in an incredible three-pronged title race this season with Liverpool and Manchester City.

Sitting only two points off the top, they will push their rivals all the way until the end of the season.

However, they have never won a European Cup. The Gunners have been after good old ‘big ears’ for a long time, they are desperate for that trophy.

So, that being said, if the Champions League trophy is achievable, would they sacrifice the Premier League for it?

Isn’t one better than zero…

I must admit, this Napoli team is a far cry from the one that won Serie A last season.

However, they still have Victor Osimhen, who is a very sought-after striker around Europe.

They still have plenty of fire power to cause Barcelona damage.

Lamine Yamal starts again!

There has been a lot of pressure on the 16-year-old wonderkid to produce for Barcelona this season, and they are counting on him again tonight.

They have made two changes from the team that beat Celta Vigo 2-1 at the weekend.

They will want another win here.

Mikel Arteta has seen no reason to change the side that destroyed Burnley 5-0 away from home on Saturday.

I completely understand why, the Gunners have been on fire, why change something when it’s not broken?

A big night ahead for this team!

The Dragons have only made one change from their 2-0 win at the weekend against Estrela de Amadora.

They are going very strong, Nico Gonzalez is a name that pops out to me, formally of Barcelona.

Can this team topple Arsenal?

This is not good viewing for Arsenal.

The Gunners have never secured victory against a Portuguese club in Portugal, only securing one draw.

One of their three losses on the road in Portugal came against tonight’s opponents in 2010, a 2-1 loss.

It’s not just away from home they struggle though, they have only recorded one victory in 10 games overall against Portuguese clubs – against Porto.

Records are there to be broken.

In Naples, there is a lot at stake tonight for two big clubs suffering dramatic downfalls.

After both winning their domestic leagues last season, both are now having disastrous campaigns.

Napoli currently sit ninth in the Serie A, while Barcelona are third in La Liga – eight points off the top.

This means tonight is huge. Napoli are managerless after sacking Walter Mazzari only yesterday, and Barcelona are set to be managerless at the end of the season after Xavi announced he is leaving.

Either way, it will still be a great game, I hope.

The Estadio do Dragao – such a beautiful ground.

This has been a stadium on my bucket list for a very long time, and a few thousand Arsenal fans will get the privilege of being in it later.

They will be wanting to see their side win there, what a perfect night that would be for the Gunners.

It won’t be easy though, the atmosphere in there will be electric.

Prior to tonight, Mike Arteta had a few words to say about Arsenal’s recent poor history in the competition.

Someone called Messi was an obstacle as well and Bayern Munich that we faced twice.

They (the players) know that we have not been in the competition, obviously some of them were here and they know the story.

They know that what happened in the past is irrelevant, it is the challenge and ambition that we have now to go through.

It’s great (we are here). We have earned the right to be here. It’s been seven years since we’ve been at the top table for these kind off matches and 14 years since we were able to go to the next stage.

Most of my memories of Arsenal in the Champions League consist of them getting knocked out in the round of 16.

They haven’t got through to the quarter-finals of the European Cup since the 2009-10 campaign, where they beat…. Porto.

Well, they are going to have to get past them once again if they are going to make it into the last eight for the first time in 14 years.

In 2010 they ended up coming up against Lionel Messi – we all know what happened – but they don’t have to worry about playing against him this season.

They will want to start this round off on the right foot!

It’s a big night for Arsenal, Gunners fans are you excited?

For the first time in seven years, Arsenal are playing in the last-16 of the Champions League as they are set to face Porto in Portugal.

The Gunners’ recent record in the Champions League knockout stages is not a good one, but this is Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, and they are keen to succeed where others have failed.

While we will be bringing you all the updates from the North London side’s big game, it is not the only fixture on the horizon tonight.

Naples also plays host to Champions League knockout football tonight, as Napoli face off with Barcelona – the battle of the fallen giants.

Both sides have not had good seasons after triumphing to their domestic title’s last campaign. European football is now imperative for them both. To get the key updates from this one, Mail Sport is the place to be.

So, strap yourselves in, this is going to be one hell of a night. I can’t wait for it to get started!