Viktor Gyokeres has improved as the season has unfolded, netting 17 goals in his 43 appearances across all competitions with 10 of these goals coming since the turn of the year. 

He’s playing with plenty of confidence right now having scored in both games for Sweden over the international break which helped them to secure a spot at the World Cup in the summer. He also marked his return to domestic duties with a goal against Southampton as Arsenal exited the FA Cup.

Gyokeres has scored four goals across his seven starts in the Champions League this season, managing 22 shots across these games (3.57 per 90), with 11 of these efforts finding the target (1.78 per 90). He should be motivated to extend this decent record when he lines up against his former club. 

These metrics are an improvement on his domestic stats, which suggests that Gyokeres prefers playing in the Champions League compared to the Premier League - probably because of the extra time and space he gets in Europe given the slightly slower pace of games.

I think Zubimendi has been brilliant for Arsenal over the course of the season. He’s attracted some criticism recently, but I think you could extend that to the entirety of the Arsenal squad with Mikel Arteta’s side exiting two cup competitions across their last two matches.

Zubimendi only played 11 minutes against Southampton, so should be fit enough to start here, he committed a foul in the cup final just before the international break and has committed 27 fouls across his 30 starts in the Premier League this season (0.93 per 90). 

Zubimendi has also committed a crazy 17 fouls across his eight starts in the Champions League this season (2.25 per 90) - a massive increase on his numbers in the Premier League which I found quite interesting as you’d expect his numbers in the more intense competition to be more inflated. 

This is a good sign for our selection though, and possibly even warrants testing higher lines for Zubimendi fouls. His direct opponent here is likely to be Trincao who has won seven fouls across his nine starts in the Champions League this season (0.81 per 90).

Arsenal are as vulnerable as they have been all season at the moment and I think Sporting are primed to take advantage. These sides have faced off in European competition before under Arteta’s reign with Sporting knocking Arsenal out of the Europa League at this stage of the competition a few seasons prior. 

Sporting have only failed to score in one of their last 43 matches across all competitions. They’ve taken on the likes of PSG and Bayern Munich in this time, so it’s fair to assume that they can be competitive in the home leg of this quarter final tie. Bodo Glimt were the side to keep them out in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash, though Sporting rallied well in the second leg to come away 5-0 winners and set up this clash.

Sporting have scored 34 goals across their 27 matches against English sides in European competition since 2018, and last welcomed Arsenal in the Champions League back in 2024 - getting on the scoresheet as Arsenal came away 5-1 winners. This game is unlikely to be as one sided with Arsenal struggling at the moment having only kept three clean sheets across their last 10 matches which is uncharacteristic for Arteta’s side. 

Only Tottenham (23) and Real Madrid (24) have picked up more yellow cards in the Champions League this season than Sporting (22). They’ve picked up at least one card in nine of their 10 Champions League matches, picking up 2+ cards in six of these matches.

Sporting haven’t reached this stage of the Champions League in some time, so they are likely to be a bit nervous as they aim to stay in the tie, against an Arsenal side that will almost certainly have the upper hand next week at the Emirates. 

Arsenal have drawn a card from their opponents in nine of their 10 Champions League matches this season, drawing multiple cautions in five of these games. The referee for this clash is Daniel Siebert who has handed out 36 yellow cards across his seven appointments in the Champions League this season (5.14 per game).

Declan Rice has been Arsenal’s best player so far this season in my view, and the Gunners desperately miss him whenever he is unavailable. I noted at the start of the season that I wanted to see a bit more from Rice in the final third, given his role on set pieces and more advanced position with Martin Zubimendi now offering appropriate cover for the defensive line.

Rice has registered 14 goal contributions across all competitions this season, just five away from the tally he set last term (19). Three of those goal contributions have come across six starts in the Champions League. Rice’s role on set pieces really makes this angle stand out for me. We know how effective Arsenal can be from these situations, and Mikel Arteta’s side have scored seven of their 26 Champions League goals from set pieces this term (26%).

Rice registered an assist when the sides met in the Champions League a few seasons ago, sending in a brilliant delivery from a corner for Gabriel to head home.

This is quite a good price for me. There was a period during last season where this market dropped quite low and put you off backing it, as despite being one of the best defenders in Europe when it comes to attacking set pieces, you’re still banking on Arsenal getting the corners to give Gabriel those chances.

I also think some sides have got a bit better at managing the threat of Gabriel, but he’s still managed to pitch in with four goals this season. He’s had seven shots across his six starts in the Champions League this term (1.21 per 90), seeing three of those efforts find the target (0.52 per 90). Those are appealing numbers for a centre back, strengthened further by his record in the Premier League (0.75 shots per 90).

Gabriel scored when the sides last met in the Champions League a few seasons ago, heading home from a Declan Rice corner - which is usually how he ends up on the scoresheet. Gabriel’s goalscoring trait reminds me a little of John Terry. It’s important you have some wildcard scoring options in your squad when the main threats are misfiring, and Gabriel is one of those for Arsenal.

Araujo is quite an underrated player and is expected to line up in the backline for Sporting here. He’s picked up more yellow cards than any other Sporting player Liga Portugal this season (nine), with the left back committing 13 fouls across his nine starts in the Champions League (1.46 per 90).

Araujo has picked up three yellow cards across his nine starts in the Champions League this term; only Morten Hjulmand (five) has picked up more cards in the competition than Araujo this season.