Arsenal played it safe, protected their one-goal lead from the first leg and did just enough to advance to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League with a 0-0 draw at home against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.
MORE — Champions League scores & semifinal matchups
For live updates and highlights Mikel Arteta’s side is one of the final four side remaining in Europe’s top competition for the second straight season, but they will be hoping to go one (or two) steps further this year after losing to eventual winners PSG a year ago.
Sporting had the game’s best chance to score in the 43rd, but winger Geny Catamo’s left-footed shot smacked the front side of the far post and trickled out for a throw-in while David Raya watched helplessly in mid-air.
The Gunners will face Atletico Madrid, who took down Barcelona 3-2, beginning on April 29 with the first leg in Spain and the second back home in London. Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon, check out PST’s live blog coverage below.
Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon live updates - by Andy Edwards
Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon final score: 0-0 (1-0 agg.)
Goalscorers: None
Arsenal starting XI
Raya - Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie - Zubimendi, Rice, Eze - Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres
Sporting CP starting XI
Silva - Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo - Hjulmand, Morita, Trincao - Catamo, Pote, Suarez
How to watch Arsenal vs Sporting CP live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (April 15)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel/Streaming: Paramount+
The Gunners were bounced from both domestic cups — League and FA — before robbing Sporting for a 1-0 victory in stoppage time last week, before returning to Premier League action and suffering their first league defeat since January over the weekend. Their PL title lead is down to six points now with 2nd-place Manchester City, who have a game in hand, up next this weekend (Sunday, 11:30 am ET). All of the above begs some complicated questions: Would they be better off going out of the Champions League in order to focus on securing the PL title? The worst-case scenario for Mikel Arteta would be to reach the Champions League semifinals (or final) and fail to win it, while also losing the PL title after leading by nine points with seven games left.
Up next for the winner will be Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal team news, focus
OUT: Mikel Merino (foot) | QUESTIONABLE: Bukayo Saka (muscular), Martin Odegaard (undisclosed), Riccardo Calafiori (knock), Jurrien Timber (muscular)
Sporting CP team news, focus
OUT: Nuno Santos (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Luis Guilherme (undisclosed), Fotis Ioannidis (knee)
Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon prediction
Sporting have very little to lose here, which means they should (and likely will) come out highly aggressive and put Arsenal under pressure from the start — and that’s the last thing the Gunners want right now. Arsenal 1-2 (2-2 agg.) Sporting — Arsenal win on penalties.
