Team news

Ferreira looking forward to Gunners test Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira believes the Champions League clash against Arsenal will be a good test of how far his team have progressed.

Ferreira's men head into Wednesday night's last-16 first-leg tie in confident mood, having lost only one of their previous nine matches domestically.

However, they have not had much fortune against English teams at the Estadio do Dragao, having gone down 1-0 to Manchester United in the quarter-finals last year and by the same scoreline to Chelsea in the group stages of this campaign.

And Ferreira has urged his players to prove their worth.

"Porto are going through a good period and I think this is the ideal opponent for us to evaluate where we are in terms of growth and ability," he said. "This game for us has the importance of being a test of quality.

"We really want to get through to the quarter-finals, even though we know that this opponent was one of the most difficult that we could have been drawn against.

"In the last four years we have always reached the last 16, last year we were in the quarter-finals, and this year we want to continue again in the competition." The Portuguese champions faced Arsenal twice in last season's group stages, losing 4-0 at the Emirates before recording a surprise 2-0 victory in the return fixture to finish top of the pool.

Ferreira added: "A game between Arsenal and FC Porto, in a competition like the Champions League and with the characteristics and history of the two teams, is always open and well played.

"In this context, it will always be an attractive game, which captivates the spectators.

"With FC Porto, I've already played twice against Arsenal at the Dragao: once we drew and last year we won.

"This is the first part of a qualifier, which both teams want to win. Unfortunately, we cannot ask for what we like or want.

"This round is not done by points, but by goal difference. Not to concede at home is fundamental, but winning is most important. It is only victories that give us more confidence and prestige." Ferreira will be boosted by the return of Hulk to the squad.

The imposing centre-forward has been provisionally suspended for six months by the Portuguese football federation for his part in a tunnel bust-up involving Benfica stewards last December but is free to play in European ties.

Midfielder Raul Meireles, who has been sidelined for a month, also returns as does Alvaro Pereira.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who has highlighted Hulk as Porto's dangerman, believes Sol Campbell can prove his worth to Arsenal if the veteran defender plays tomorrow.

Campbell has featured just twice for the Gunners since beginning a second spell with the north London club in January, playing 90 minutes in the FA Cup defeat at Stoke and 55 minutes in the 0-0 Barclays Premier League draw with Aston Villa.

But the 35-year-old former England international looks likely to be called upon to make his first European appearance for Arsenal since the 2006 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona in 2006 following an injury to fellow centre-half William Gallas.

Gallas (back), midfielder Alex Song (knee) and Andrey Arshavin (hamstring) were all absent from the 18-man squad which left Luton Airport, as were goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (finger) and striker Eduardo (hamstring).

Asked if that meant Campbell would play, Arsenal boss Wenger said: "It's a possibility that I don't rule out at the moment because if he does not play it means two left-footed players in that position (Thomas Vermaelen and Mikael Silvestre).

FC Porto vs Arsenal

Last modified 22:28 17/02/10

Sol Campbell must be thinking he is a bad omen in the Champions League.

Four years ago, Campbell scored but Arsenal still ended up losing the 2006 final to Barcelona in the Stade de France.

Last night, Campbell threatened to complete a remarkable European comeback as he scored again - and still ended up on the losing side.

And once again, an Arsenal keeper was at the centre of a devastating defeat which begs the question as to when on earth Arsene Wenger will ever go out and buy himself a decent number one.

No amount of Campbell heroics and fairytale returns can save Arsenal when they have got blunder keeper Lukasz Fabianski playing behind the defence.

Fabianski came in for injured first choice Manuel Almunia last night and made two catastrophic errors which leaves Arsenal with a mountain to climb in the second leg.

Perhaps the only saving grace was that, unlike Jens Lehmann in the the 2006 Champions League final, Fabianski did not get himself sent off.

But, quite frankly, maybe Arsenal would have been better off with ten men and with third choice, rookie Vito Mannone, between the sticks.

Fabianski really was that bad.

Arsene Wenger has a magic touch when it comes to signing skilful midfielders and tricky forwards. But the Arsenal boss has a blind spot when it comes to keepers.

Even Almunia has been shaky this season while who can forget other Arsenal keepers like Richard Wright, Alex Manninger and Rami Shabaan? Oh dear, Arsene.

Fabianski’s first howler last night was right up there with former Manchester United keeper Massimo Taibi’s mistake at Old Trafford in 1999. It will definitely be on the same sporting blunders DVD next Christmas, make no mistake.

The second one will make pretty horrific viewing again as well. Wenger can complain all he likes about the quickly taken free kick and Swedish referee Martin Hansson – but nothing can hide the terrible mix-up between defence and keeper.

It certainly wrecked Campbell’s big night and yet Wenger is adamant that Fabianski is up to the job and can be Arsenal’s first choice in the long term.

Sadly, the Arsenal fans have long since given up hope on the blundering Pole whose every appearance seems to end in disastrous defeat.

Last season’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea saw him at fault for both goals. He was in goal in this season’s League Cup exit at Manchester City and was also at fault as Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup at Stoke last month.

Now you may be adding the Champions League to Fabianski’s list of disasters.  Porto showed they are no soft touches and will be tough opponents to overcome at the Emirates.

Arsenal were patched-up and without big players last night, but you would still expect a better performance from an experienced defence and a decent midfield.

The Gunners were always in trouble from the moment Denilson put Campbell in trouble with a sloppy pass which nearly let Porto striker Falcao in on goal in the second minute.

But, to his huge credit, Campbell, at 35 and outpaced by Falcao, raced back and made a saving tackle to prove that there is life in the old dog yet.

However, that was enough to give Porto encouragement and bring the Estadio do Dragao alive even if there were huge gaps in the 60,000 seater stadium.

Porto thrived on the atmosphere and Arsenal’s shaky looking defence. Porto wideman Silvestre Varela sent over a poor cross which was beyond his forwards.

But Fabianski, under no pressure whatsoever, was badly positioned, panicked and allowed the ball to slip under his body. It was so embarrassing.

But seven minutes later, Campbell rose to the occasion. Five months ago, Campbell was playing for Notts County at Morecambe’s Christie Park. That nightmare seemed a distant memory when he headed Arsenal level.

Samir Nasri put over a corner, Thomas Vermaelen headed on, Tomas Rosicky nodded back across goal and Campbell rose completely unchallenged to head home into the net.

Fairytales don’t get much better. But, sadly for Arsenal, it was too good to be true.

Arsenal had chances as Nicklas Bendtner and Rosicky went close and were denied by Porto’s Brazilian keeper Helton.

But Arsenal’s night turned into an utter disaster in the 51st minute. Campbell’s back pass was picked up by Fabianski, referee Hansson - the man to blame for missing Thierry Henry’s handball when France cheated their way past Ireland to the World Cup - handed the ball to Ruben Micael.

The Porto midfielder took a quick free kick and, while Fabianski and the Arsenal defence stood and watched, Colombian striker Falcao sidefooted into the net.

It was that simple and that embarrassing. Strictly Sunday League. Frankly, Wenger should spare Fabianski from that sort of embarrassment in the future by never playing him again.