UCL: Porto defender, Pepe reveals Arsenal player they targeted during shoot-out defeat

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UCL: Porto defender, Pepe reveals Arsenal player they targeted during shoot-out defeat

FC Porto defender, Pepe has revealed that they set out to “neutralise” Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard, during their Champions League clash on Tuesday.

Porto won the first leg 1-0, but Leandro Trossard’s first-half goal at the Emirates Stadium levelled the tie on aggregate in the return leg.

The two teams could not be separated after 120 minutes and a penalty shootout was needed

David Raya saved two spot-kicks to help the Gunners qualify for the quarter-final.

Speaking after the game, Pepe admitted they tried to stop Odegaard, who provided the assist for Trossard’s goal.

He told DAZN: “We don’t forget that Arsenal are a great team, in the Premier League they score a lot of goals.

“We came to play our game, neutralising Odegaard’s play between the lines. We knew what we were doing, but unfortunately we couldn’t score. They had a bit of luck.”