The evening press review that brought an end to Sporting’s Champions League campaign.
The international press reported on the goalless draw between Arsenal and Sporting , praising Sporting and heavily criticizing Arsenal. Even when referring to Rui Borges’ team as a weed, The Guardian does so in a complimentary tone, saying that it is a difficult team to break down.
Furthermore, some referred to Trincao as elegant and others as a source of problems for Arsenal. But The Athletic goes further and says they already see Luis Suarez in England for 90 million euros. Why? Because if Gyokeres is worth 60…
Read here some of what has been written abroad about Sporting’s elimination from the Champions League:
The Athletic
Fans from the green half of Lisbon remember Gyökeres as a kind of superhero with gel in his hair, the Goal Man, an entity whose only language was the ball hitting the net. Bang, bang, bang, where did you get that from, bang, bang, bang, OK, this conversation is bang, bang, bang. This is what Arsenal thought they were signing last summer. But today, as in so many other games this season, they got something else. On the other side of the pitch, Luis Suarez was doing everything a striker should do when he’s not exactly doing what he’s paid to do. He dropped back and combined with Francisco Trincao. He gripped the ball well and defended it as if it were a family heirloom. Above all, he seemed genuinely capable of outmaneuvering opponents, an innovative concept in the increasingly bleak Viktorverse. We know how this ends. Some Premier League club will pay £80 million for Suarez this summer. He’ll score three goals and people will remember Darwin Nunez and, yes, Gyokeres. But today, even with the end of Sporting’s European dream, the Swede has highlighted his counterpart strongly.
The Guardian
When the game ended, the prevailing feeling at the Emirates was one of relief: that the second leg had ended successfully; and also, it must be said, simply that it had ended. It was, once again, a difficult game to watch. Sporting is the kind of team you face these nights, tough and stubborn, a kind of weed in football. Rui Borges was there on the sidelines, like a global ambassador for the light beige color. His Sporting team is well=trained and physically robust. And Arsenal was extremely pleased with this result. This could still be the best season in the club’s history. But, more importantly, if football should be about fun, teamwork, human warmth and drama, why does it look like we’re watching someone slowly pulling out their fingernails with pruning shears?
BBC Sport
Head coach Rui Borges may feel wronged after seeing his team eliminated, but he should be proud of the performances his team put on against the Premier League leaders. Arsenal had to give their best defensively to overcome Sporting and were fortunate not to concede, with Araújo hitting the crossbar in the first leg and Catamo hitting the post in the second. Sporting’s midfield, with the elegant Trincao, made the Portuguese side always look like a threat, and Catamo’s speed in attack constantly caused problems for Arsenal’s defense. Sporting remain in the title race and hope these performances will propel them to national glory.
Sky Sports
Without fire and with some fear, but Arsenal beat Sporting to reach the Champions League semi=finals. The Gunners wanted to recover from their defeat against Bournemouth and Arteta stated that the team was full of grit and fearless before the game. However, they only managed one shot on target in a nervous Emirates Stadium. Sporting seemed the team closest to scoring and came close, with Geny Catamo’s shot hitting the post just before half=time.
The Team
Arsenal qualify for the semi=finals after a lackluster game. There were no spectacular plays, dramatic comebacks or a goal fest, but rather a hard-fought goalless draw, without much excitement or drama. In the end, a hard=fought qualification for the Londoners, who won the first leg in Portugal. Sporting’s timid attacking play should have allowed Arsenal to secure the victory earlier in the game.
Gazzetta dello Sport
Arsenal, lacking brilliance, draws with Sporting, but is in the Champions League semi=finals. Mission accomplished. Qualification is the best thing Arsenal achieved, as Arteta’s team seems to be losing steam. This is not a good sign, as they will face Manchester City this weekend. Sporting left the Emirates to applause from their fans, in what was the best campaign in the club’s history in the Champions League. There is a certain regret, as the difference between the two teams came down to a lapse in concentration, and the Lions hit the woodwork in both games.
TO THE
Arsenal, a timid semi-finalist. Atlético, these Gunners are not the same as in October. Semi-finalists, yes. Playing with fear and without cohesion, too. At times, Rui Borges’ team, which few expected to be at this stage of the competition, put the Premier League leaders in trouble. They threatened to equalize the tie and even hit the post. Sporting only needed 20 minutes to match the intensity and determination with which Arsenal took to the field. The Emirates can breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate in peace. At least for now.
Mark
Arsenal are back in the semi=finals, but it’s not the same team that thrashed Atlético Madrid in October. It was a day to show their worth, and instead they opted for a cautious performance, resulting in a goalless draw against Sporting, which exposed the Gunners ‘ weaknesses . It wasn’t a brilliant performance from Arsenal, and that’s becoming a habit.