Porto Manager Sergio Conceicao admits Arsenal didn’t come to play them with a winning ambition
Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao has responded to Mikel Arteta‘s assertion that his team had ‘no intention of playing’ during Arsenal’s Champions League defeat.
Arsenal seemed headed for a goalless draw at the Estadio do Dragao until Porto capitalized on a loose pass from Gabriel Martinelli, leading to Galeno’s exceptional curled effort from outside the box.
Arteta had commented on his team’s lack of fluidity, contrasting their performance in the Premier League with the Champions League. Arsenal failed to register a shot on target in the competition for the first time since 2011.
The exchange between Arteta and Conceicao adds an intriguing element to the aftermath of the match.
Arteta’s remarks on Porto
When asked about Porto’s tactics, Arteta said after Arsenal’s defeat: ‘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.’
Sergio Conceicao’s response
Sergio Conceicao responded to Arteta’s evaluation of Porto’s approach after the game according to reports via Metro stating, “It’s an opinion. They wanted to play, we wanted to win.
Arteta is from the [Pep] Guardiola school, who is the coach with the most titles in the world.” Conceicao seems to dismiss Arteta’s perspective and emphasizes the contrasting objectives of the two teams during the Champions League match.