Lack of Champions League experience cost Arsenal, says Arteta

A lack of experience in Europe's top club competition was a factor in Arsenal conceding a late goal in their Champions League game at Porto on Wednesday but manager Mikel Arteta said the north London side will learn from the 1-0 defeat.

Arsenal failed to get a shot on target all night despite having the majority of possession in the first leg of the round of 16 tie, with Brazilian Galeno's 94th-minute winner condemning them to defeat.

Wednesday's match at the Estadio Do Dragao was Arsenal's first Champions League knockout game under Arteta and came six seasons after they last competed in Europe's top-tier competition in 2016-17.

“We really dominated the game but we lacked purpose, especially in the first half, to have much more aggression, to break lines, to play forward, to generate much more threat in their backline,” Arteta said.

“In the second half there were much better things and we generated a lot of situations without really creating much from it, but we'll learn from it.”

Asked if Arsenal's lack of Champions League experience could have been a factor in conceding the late goal, Arteta said: “It's only the last ball.

“If in 94 minutes we didn't have the naiveté in that one, I think it's a bit cruel to judge it but it's true that it's had a big affect on the result.

“A lot of other things that they've done for the first time here were very good.”

Arsenal host Newcastle United next in the Premier League on Saturday. They face Porto in the second leg on March 12 at the Emirates. 

Porto snatched their shock last-gasp victory through Galeno's sublime effort deep in stoppage time.

A drab clash was deadlocked until the fifth minute of added time when Galeno curled an unstoppable effort past David Raya to send the Estadio Do Dragao crowd wild.

Arsenal will now have work to do in the second leg as they seek to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.

Mikel Arteta's side controlled possession but it was the hosts who carved out the clearest chances with Galeno close to breaking the deadlock when he fired a shot against the post.

Leandro Trossard blasted a volley over the bar for Arsenal after the break.

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández said he was satisfied with the point from their 1-1 draw with Napoli in their last-16 match on Wednesday but he could not help feeling the first leg tie had been there for the taking.

Barca spurned several opportunities to score before Robert Lewandowski netted the opener in the 60th minute but they failed to add to their tally and were pegged back when Victor Osimhen equalised from Napoli's only shot on target 15 minutes later.

“I think we had a great match, both offensively and defensively,” Xavi said.

“The team did some things to deserve to win, but this is the Champions League.

“But I leave here satisfied. Satisfied, but a bit bitter because from my point of view, we could have won.”

Barcelona host Napoli, last year's Serie A champions, in the return leg on March 12. They return to LaLiga action on Saturday with the visit of Getafe. 

Napoli fought back to hold visitors Barcelona to a dour 1-1 draw thanks to a goal from Nigeria star Osimhen, who helped steer his national team to being runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations this month.

Last year's Spanish and Italian champions, who are both struggling this season, played out a poor first half before Poland striker Lewandowski put Barca ahead in the 60th minute.

Osimhen equalised 15 minutes later with a fine swivelling strike from just inside the box to leave the tie evenly poised.