Arsenal – Sporting: Solid Floor, Limited Ceiling (0–0)

On an evening at the Emirates Stadium that starkly contrasted with the action across the pond in Bavaria, the two sides showed why there are levels to fear in Europe’s elite club competition. The hosts have gone too far deep to turn back on a plan that is pushing players towards physical exhaustion while their opponents could not conjure up the magic to break down the resistance.

Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Sporting are embracing and making history in their Champions League campaign. They might be five points behind Porto in the Primeira Liga, but this is already a season to remember. Thanks to their turnaround against Bodø/Glimt, they earned a place in the quarter-final of the premier continental club tournament for the first time ever. A stalemate slipped out of their hands against Arsenal in Lisbon at the death, but they can be comforted by the recent feat of pulling off an upset at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are known for struggling in the month of April over the last decade, and history has been repeating itself again. Exits from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup should have kicked the camp into life at the realization that their targets are not yet achieved, but a drab display against Bournemouth piled on the pressure in the Premier League title race. That 2-1 defeat is also a . . .