Arsenal vs Porto Champions League Round of 16 Betting Preview

The second leg of the Round of 16 is almost upon us, with Arsenal facing Porto in one of the most exciting fixtures. The game is set to kick off on Tuesday the 12th of March at 20:00 GMT at the Emirates Stadium. Continue reading to learn more about the match in our Arsenal vs Porto Champions League Round of 16 Betting Preview.

An Introduction to our Arsenal vs Porto Champions League Round of 16 Betting Preview

Going into the fixture, Arsenal are seen as the favorites to advance through to the quarterfinals of the competition. However, they will certainly have their work cut out for them, as a last-minute defeat against Porto in Portugal has left them at a disadvantage. The first leg ended as a 1-0 win to Porto, with Wenderson Galeno scoring a 94th-minute screamer.

Before reviewing the most popular betting markets for the UEFA Champions League match, it may be worthwhile checking out both teams’ forms, recent matches, and other useful tidbits of information. Arsenal may be the bookie’s favorite to win the match, but advancing to the next round is an entirely different scenario. Keep reading as we look at the recent form of both teams before analyzing their head-to-head records.

Arsenal Form

Losing away in Portugal was the second time Arsenal have lost in the UEFA Champions League this season. It has been ages since the Gunners were competing in Europe’s most prestigious tournament, last featuring in the competition the season before Arsene Wenger left the club. It has truly been that long!

However, despite suffering a group-stage defeat away in France, Arsenal has been fairly impressive. They won four of their six group stage matches, drawing the other game. The team had also performed admirably in Portugal, only to have all of their hard work undone by one of the goals of the tournament. Below, we review Arsenal’s form in Europe this season:

• Arsenal vs PSV – 4:0 Win
• Lens vs Arsenal – 2:1 Loss
• Sevilla vs Arsenal – 1:2 Win
• Arsenal vs Sevilla – 2:0 Win
• Arsenal vs Lens – 6:0 Win
• PSV vs Arsenal – 1:1 Draw
• Porto vs Arsenal – 1:0 Loss

In all competitions, Arsenal have been impressive since the start of 2024. Their recent form in all comps is:

• Arsenal vs Liverpool – 3:1 Win
• West Ham vs Arsenal – 0:6 Win
• Burnley vs Arsenal – 0:5 Win
• Porto vs Arsenal – 1:0 Loss
• Arsenal vs Newcastle – 4:1 Win

Porto Form

Much like Arsenal, Porto have also been impressive this season. The last-minute winner against the Gunners has displayed just why Porto is a team that always seems to appear in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. Despite not having the pulling power of most big clubs, Porto is still one of the most consistent teams represented in the UEFA Champions League.

During the group stage, Porto was drawn with the likes of Barcelona Shakhtar and Royal Antwerp. The team managed to win four of their six group-stage matches, losing twice. They were so impressive, they were unfortunate not to finish the group in first place. They missed out on top spot to Barcelona, who had also won four of six matches, losing twice. Barcelona, however, had the better overall results, including head-to-head and goal difference. In Europe, Porto has played the following games:

• Shakhtar vs Porto – 1:3 Win
• Porto vs Barcelona – 0:1 Loss
• Royal Antwerp vs Porto – 1:4 Win
• Porto vs Royal Antwerp – 2:0 Win
• Barcelona vs Porto – 2:1 Loss
• Porto vs Shakhtar – 5:3 Win
• Porto vs Arsenal – 1:0 Win

In all competitions, Porto has also been impressive. Their form in all comps is:

• Porto vs Rio Ave – 0:0 Draw
• Arouca vs Porto – 3:2 Loss
• Porto vs Estrela Amadora – 2:0 Win
• Porto vs Arsenal – 1:0 Win
• Gil Vicente vs Porto – 1:1 Draw

Head to Head

Below, we review the head-to-head record of matches played between the two clubs.

• Porto defeated Arsenal 1:0 in Portugal this season
• Arsenal defeated Porto 5:0 at home in 2010
• Porto defeated Arsenal 2:1 at home in 2010
• Arsenal have always defeated Porto by more than one goal
• Porto will have to avoid losing by more than one goal to at least send the tie to penalties

Mikel Arteta on the Hunt for European Glory?

Since the start of the new year, Arsenal have yet to drop points in the Premier League. The team has played a total of six matches, winning all six and scoring a total of 25 goals. They have also only conceded three goals in the process. It displays the commitment Spanish manager Mikel Arteta has to ensure his team are in a title run come the end of the season.

However, despite their impressive domestic form, Arsenal will have to turn it on at the Emirates Stadium if they are to advance to the next phase of the UEFA Champions League. The club will have to overcome a one-goal deficit to be involved in the quarterfinals. Arsenal may need to dig into their domestic form to see this tie turn the other way.

Losing in Portugal is their second defeat of the new year. They also lost 2:0 at home against Liverpool in the FA Cup. By the looks of it, Mikel Arteta is not too keen on cup trophies and would rather put all of his baskets in the hunt of a premiership. However, his success in the FA Cup when he took over the club is perhaps the foundation that allowed the owners to commit to him. Arsenal will be at their finest on Tuesday the 12th of March, aiming to advance. They are one of the teams that many would back to go all the way. One of the more interesting statistics is that teams that tend to beat Porto in the UEFA Champions League end up playing the final.

Porto to Cause an Upset?

Much like Arsenal, Porto are a team that are capable of beating anyone on their day. There is a reason why Porto always seem to advance to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. The simple reason is, they are a well-run club with plenty of experience in the competition. Let’s not forget a few seasons ago, when Porto managed to knockout Juventus from the Champions League, a Juventus team that featured Cristiano Ronaldo.

This season, Porto will be bidding farewell to one of their most familiar faces, as Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi will leave the club at the end of the season to join Inter Milan. It means that Porto has one more opportunity to give Mehdi a good send-off advancing far in the competition and stealing a win against Arsenal. The team is experienced throughout the ranks, with the likes of Evanilson, Pepe and Diogo Costa all representing the team. Incidentally, Diogo Costa was one of the hottest prospects in the summer, with many clubs seeking a quality new goalkeeper.

Perhaps the most important player for Porto this season is Evanilson, who has scored ten goals in the league. He has the biggest output, with the second highest scorers only on three goals. Considering Porto are third in the league, it is saying a lot that the team is so reliant on one player. After 23 games in the league, they have won 15 matches and only lost four. More impressively, the team has only conceded 17 times. Will Porto knock Arsenal out of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16?

Arsenal vs Porto Champions League Round of 16 Betting Preview

According to online sportsbook sites in the UK, Arsenal is seen as the favorite to win the tie. This does not necessarily mean that they will win it, but their odds of doing so are lower than the odds of an unlikely Porto away win.

There are plenty of betting sites offering numerous markets for the upcoming UEFA Champions League match. However, the best in the business is BC.GAME Sportsbook. It is a cryptocurrency bookmaker, meaning you can play anonymously and access the betting markets from anywhere in the world, using a trusted VPN. Below, the betting odds provided are taken from BC.GAME Sportsbook.

Betting Odds

• Arsenal to Win – 1.25
• Porto to Win – 12
• Draw – 5.6
• Arsenal to Qualify – 1.39
• Porto to Qualify – 2.85
• Arsenal to Win or Draw – 1.03
• Porto to Win or Draw – 4
• Arsenal or Porto to Win – 1.13
• Both Teams to Score Yes – 2.13
• Both Teams to Score No – 1.66
• Both Teams to Score and Arsenal to Win – 2.95
• Both Teams to Score and Porto to Win – 21

Player Props

One of the many impressive features of BC.GAME Sportsbook is the ability to place various player props. This means if you do not want to bet on teams to win or the number of goals, you can simply follow the action by betting on players. Popular player prop markets include players scoring, assisting, committing a foul or being booked. Below, we take a look at the most popular player props to follow.

Arsenal

The most likely player to score for Arsenal is Bukayo Saka. A bet on Saka to score vs Porto would almost be a sure thing. A bet on Martin Odegaard to assist vs Porto is also a likely winner. Lastly, a bet on Declan Rice to be booked vs Porto could be an interesting wager.

Porto

Much like Arsenal, Porto also has their dangerous men. A bet on Evanilson to score vs Arsenal would be a good wager. Likewise, a bet on Otavio to assist vs Arsenal would not be a bad shout. The player that is most likely to be booked vs Arsenal is Pepe. A bet on Pepe to receive a booking vs Arsenal is an almost guaranteed winner.

The Bottom Line

To conclude our Arsenal vs Porto Champions League Round of 16 Betting Preview, we hope that you have found a list of betting markets that suit your personal preferences. The player prop markets are offered by BC.GAME Sportsbook is especially one to follow. To learn more about BC.GAME Sportsbook review, check out the link to the popular online sportsbook site.

Click here to try the best odds at BC.GAME Sportsbook