'Magic' - Arsenal supporters grant Mikel Arteta his pre-game atmosphere wish vs Porto
The Emirates was rocking at the full-time whistle as David Raya inspired a penalty shoot-out win to drag Arsenal into the Champions League quarter-finals
Mikel Arteta hailed the Emirates crowd for roaring Arsenal to Champions League glory against Porto.
David Raya was the hero in the shoot-out, saving two Porto penalties to justify the manager’s controversial call last summer. Fans were torn about whether Arteta was right to bin Aaron Ramsdale for the 28-year-old, who put those doubters to bed last night.
North London erupted once Raya denied Galeno to book Arsenal’s place in the quarter-finals - answering Arteta’s pre-game battle cry to get the stadium rocking. He said before the match: “That’s the opportunity that we have tomorrow, in front of our people and in our stadium.
“For 96 minutes, bring your energy, bring your noise and let’s do it together. I think the impact they (the supporters) can make tomorrow is incredible. I don’t think that they really realise so we need that noise and we need them playing every single ball with us.”
The Gunners boss paid tribute to the home support once the Champions League triumph was confirmed. As a player, Arteta missed out on Arsenal’s last quarter-final in 2010 by 18 months but has led them to glory from the dugout to end their European hoodoo.
"It has been 14 years, which is a long time for a club like Arsenal and it shows how difficult it was," he told TNT Sports at full-time. "We really had to dig in to find the magic moment at the end. We're starting to create an unbelievable energy in the stadium, we were all pushing to get it done and together we have done it."