‘We lacked aggression’: Mikel Arteta

FC Porto’s Galeno celebrates his goal against Arsenal at Porto on Wednesday. Pic/Getty Images

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta bemoaned his team's lack of cutting edge as Galeno's sublime stoppage-time goal earned Porto a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie on Wednesday.

Appearing in a first knockout match in Europe's premier club competition for seven years, Arsenal struggled to break down an organised Porto defence before Galeno's stroke of brilliance in the 94th minute. The defeat ended Arsenal's eight-game unbeaten run against Portuguese opposition.

Mikel Arteta

"We lacked threat. We lacked aggression, especially when we had the ball in the final third. So we will tweak a few things to attack better. We can do better," Arteta told TNT Sports.

Arsenal last made it to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2010, when they beat Porto in the last 16, but it is the Portuguese club who now have the upper hand.

"I think it's a team that's very well-organised defensively and they break your rhythm all the time," said Arteta.

"We want to be in the quarter-finals, you have to beat your opponent and this is what we have to do at the Emirates."

Arsenal failed to register a single shot on target as their recent goal spree came to a shuddering halt.

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