Bukayo Saka Arsenal 2023-24

Arsenal player ratings vs Porto: Bukayo Saka & co. fall flat as Gunners hit by late sucker-punch to leave Champions League hopes hanging by a thread

Arsenal's return to the Champions League knockout stages got off to the worst possible start as a stunning injury-time strike from Galeno saw them sink to a 1-0 defeat at Porto in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Mikel Arteta's side went into the game full of confidence having hit 21 goals in five Premier League games since the turn of the year, but they were left frustrated by a resolute Porto outfit and failed to even muster a single shot on target during what turned into a scrappy and at times tortuous affair.

Despite that, the visitors at least looked set to take a draw back to north London for the second leg, a result which would have still left them overwhelming favourites to go through. But Galeno, who produced an incredible double-miss from close range in the first half, had other ideas when he curled home a delicious effort from 25 yards after Gabriel Martinelli's poor cross-field pass had been cut out with just seconds remaining.

Article continues below

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Estadio do Dragao...