Mikel Arteta issues plea to Arsenal fans ahead of Porto Champions League clash

Mikel Arteta is banking on bravery from his players and a raucous Emirates crowd to secure Arsenal a first Champions League quarter-final spot for 14 years.

The Spanish manager has led the North London club to the 2020 FA Cup and back to the top of the Premier League this season. But Arteta, 41, has yet to win a European knockout match at the Emirates Stadium.

And Arsenal are seeking to avoid elimination at this stage of the Champions League for the eighth time in a row - a record which stretches back to the Arsene Wenger days. They reached their seventh and last Champions League quarter-final back in 2010.

“If you see the stats it is the reality,” said Arteta. “Let’s try to change it. How? Prepare the best possible way. Make a lot of right decisions and then be brave. You cannot wait in these situations, you have to go and make things happen. That’s the approach [against Porto].

“Knockout games are different. You see it when we went out in the Europa League after going ahead and losing in the last minute, and against Sporting on penalties. The details and the margins are so small. That is a huge part of these knockout games.” Porto prevented Arsenal registering a shot on target for the first time in two years in the first leg won by Galeno’s late wonder strike.

“We’re certainly going to have to tweak a few things to generate much more than we did,” added the Spaniard. “It’s the level of the Champions League. You’re facing top teams. The fact that there are two games plays in your mind and we have to be better.”

A big difference from the away leg will be a fervent Emirates Stadium seeking to witness history. But Arteta insisted the Arsenal fans - not always the most encouraging - can play a big part in the night’s drama.

“That’