Arsenal squad rewarded for Champions League heroics as Man City title clash looms

Porto were dispatched on penalties as the Gunners reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years

Arsenal’s players have been given some well-earned time off after their Champions League heroics against Porto on Tuesday.

The Gunners beat their Portuguese counterparts on penalties at the Emirates Stadium as they booked a spot in the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2010.

Arsenal are not in action this weekend as their scheduled opponents, Chelsea, are playing Leicester in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta has, as a result, given the squad a few days off before many of them head away for international duty next week.

Arsenal’s players will be handed a deserved break after their Champions League heroics
Getty Images

“We all deserve a few days off and recharge the batteries,” Arteta said after the Gunners beat Porto on spot-kicks following a 1-0 win that levelled the tense last-16 tie at 1-1 on aggregate.

“90 per cent of the squad will be on international duty afterwards and there we go, we go again.”

Some members of the squad visited the club’s training ground anyway on Wednesday to do some recovery work in the gym.

Arsenal are next in action on March 31, when they travel to Manchester City in another huge showdown between title rivals at the Etihad Stadium.

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