Porto boss Sergio Conceicao hits back at Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Porto boss Sergio Conceicao reacts after Champion s League victory over Arsenal



Porto boss Sergio Conceicao  hits back at Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Porto beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Estadio Dragao on Wednesday evening. CREDIT: @laythy29


Porto boss Sergio Conceicao has hit back at Mikel Arteta after the Arsenal boss claimed they had ‘no intention of playing’.

Conceicao reacted after his side beat Arsenal 1-0 through a Galeno stunner to give the Portuguese side a slim lead to take into Champions League last-16 return leg.

Arteta's lacklustre Gunners lost to a 94th minute winner from Porto's Brazil-born attacker who fired past David Raya from outside the box.

The North Londoners failed to show their scintillating Premier League form at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday evening with Arsenal failing to register a shot on target. 

Speaking after the match, Porto boss Conceicao said: "Arteta is from the [Pep] Guardiola school, who is the coach with the most titles in the world.

"They think that the best way to beat their opponents is to have more possession of the ball, but that depends on the team and the performers they have.

"We had 40%-60% possession of the ball, which is not a scandal.

"I didn’t mind having 30%-70% and winning too.

"It all depends on what you do with the ball within the strategy defined to score goals."

The spat came after Arteta was asked about Porto’s tactics following their late win, with the Gunners boss saying: “We are very used to playing against these defensive blocks, especially in the first half we lacked certain things.

“We will learn from it and be better in the return game.

“The best thing about our team was the attitude. We wanted to play. We didn’t lack aggression. Faced with such a low block and a team with no intention of playing, this is what we have to do.”

The two sides meet at the Emirates on March 12


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