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Arsenal could rely on their one-goal aggregate lead to earn them a spot in the Champions League semi-finals against Atletico Madrid after a goalless draw against Sporting at the Emirates.
The Gunners were hoping to bounce back from their weekend Bournemouth defeat, with Mikel Arteta saying he and his Arsenal side were full of “fire” and had “no fear” ahead of the game.
However, having mustered just a single shot on target at a nervous Emirates, Arsenal go into Sunday’s potential Premier League title decider against Manchester City, live on Sky Sports, having failed to offer much confidence.
Arteta will see the draw as a fine result to set up their trip to the Etihad as Arsenal secured back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history.
Having lost three of the last four, there was a clear lack of confidence at the Emirates that translated into a cagey start that sustained throughout the game. Sporting looked the more likely of the two sides, coming closest when Geny Catamo struck the post on the brink of half-time.
After the break, Sporting again smelled blood but failed to muster anything to really challenge David Raya, who was the embodiment of Arsenal’s nerves. On a couple of occasions, the Portuguese side spurned chances gifted to them by the Spanish stopper.
While the result won’t be of much concern for Arteta ahead of the weekend, he will be anxiously waiting on a prognosis for Noni Madueke, who went down holding his knee after a challenge from Pedro Goncalves. Max Dowman, who replaced the Arsenal winger, could be an option to replace Madueke should he not pass fit for the weekend and add to their ever-growing injury list.
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