Arsenal booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a goalless draw with Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium, doing just enough to progress on aggregate.
Mikel Arteta’s side came into the second leg with a slender advantage, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s decisive goal in Lisbon.
That strike ultimately proved the difference across the two legs, as Arsenal held firm despite a below-par showing on home soil.
Sporting came close to upsetting the hosts in the first half when Geny Catamo rattled the post, briefly silencing the Emirates.
However, Arsenal managed to see out the contest, with goalkeeper David Raya largely untroubled for the remainder of the encounter.
Pre-match numbers strongly favoured the North London side, with Sporting winless in their last 10 visits to England and also enduring a long-standing drought in away knockout fixtures in Europe’s top competition, a run dating back decades. Even so, Arsenal struggled to assert control and lacked their usual cutting edge.
There was clear relief at full-time as the Gunners secured progression, though the performance may raise questions ahead of their crucial Premier League showdown with Manchester City this weekend.
Still, the result marks a significant milestone for Arsenal, who have now reached back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Their attention now turns to a high-stakes clash with Atlético Madrid, with the first leg set to take place in Spain on April 29 before the return fixture in London.
