Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice openly pondered whether he and his teammates had displayed a hint of naivety in the closing moments of the match. Their failure to maintain possession deep into stoppage time resulted in repeated turnovers, ultimately leading to Galeno’s decisive goal.
He said: “When it’s 0-0, you look up at the clock and it’s 93 minutes gone, if you aren’t going to win the game then don’t lose it. Maybe have the bit of savviness about us to stay in and get a draw in a tough stadium against a tough opponent.
“There were a couple of giveaways on the edge of our box. They caught us on the counter and he’s stuck one in the top corner which is really disappointing.”
But the England star insisted that it will be a different story at the Emirates, predicting: “Knowing how we play at home, with our fans and energy, I think you’ll see a team on the front foot from the start and we’ll be looking to do that.”
“They know what they’re doing. Porto is a really honest, hard-working side with great players. We have to change our approach in the home leg and give it absolutely everything. Even though we’re a goal down it’s a nice goal to aim for when we can change it around in the home leg.”
He added: “You don’t know what to expect, you can’t overlook anyone ever because it’s the Champions League. It’s a real kick in the teeth because we’ve conceded late but we know what to do. We’re not going to let our heads drop, it’s about getting back, recovering, going again in the Premier League, and we’ll be ready again for the Champions League for sure.”