As we prepare for our first Champions League knockout game in seven years, Mikel Arteta feels that what our players lack in terms of experience, they make up for in enthusiasm.
The squad are in Portugal preparing for their last-16 first leg against Porto, and for many of our youthful group it will be their first taste of knockout action in Europe’s premier club competition. That is the opposite when it comes to our opponents, who have now reached the last 16 in six of the last seven seasons,
But despite this, Mikel feels that we have fully enjoyed our first sample of the Champions League, having netted 16 goals during the group stage, with only Manchester City and Atletico Madrid grabbing more.