MIKEL ARTETA was accused of insulting the family of Porto manager Sergio Conceicao as Arsenal’s Champions League win turned ugly at full-time level.

The Gunners had lost their last SEVEN last 16 matches since beating Porto in 2010, but ended that 14-year hoodoo with a victory on penalties to reach the quarter-finals.

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David Raya saved two penalties from Wendall and Galeno, while Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all scored from twelve yards.

Leandro Trossard had initially leveled the score with a first-half goal, but the match turned into a firecracker as Odegaard had a second-half strike disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

Arsenal celebrated the shoot-out wildly, and the dramatic victory sparked an on-pitch row between Arteta and Conceicao.

The pair appeared to embrace but Conceicao began to protest at Arteta and waved his finger at him before they parted ways. Arteta seemed unimpressed by what was said.

Trossard and Nico Gonzalez also had a flare-up before Arsenal defender Gabriel came on.

Arteta and Oleksandr Zinchenko then pulled the Gunners players away to continue celebrating.

Both Arteta and Conceicao were both booked during the match for complaining to the referees, and there was tension between both technical areas throughout.

At the post-match press conference, Arteta refused to comment on what was said between the two coaches, but Conceicao spoke out.

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Conceicao said: “The result was unjust. We deserved to continue.

“During the match and towards the bench he insulted my family in Spanish, I don’t know if this has to do with the Spanish managers.

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“And at the end I said: attention, whoever he offends is not between us, he must concentrate on training his team because they have a lot of individual qualities to do that.”

SunSport understands Arteta strongly denies the allegations.

SunSport has also approached Porto asking whether they will complain to UEFA about Conceicao’s allegations.

Conceicao has a history of accusing managers of abusing him during matches in Europe.

In October 2020, Conceicao suggested during a Champions League group stage match against Manchester City that Pep Guardiola was “obnoxious” and insulting towards Portugal.

Conceicao said: “I have a lot to learn from Pep Guardiola, in the way he puts pressure on referees, talks to opponents and the opposition dugout.

“I have to learn this. We were angels compared to the other dugout. He spoke with ugly words about our country. Guardiola’s attitude was extremely unpleasant.”

And in April 2021, after a Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea, Conceicao said of then Blues boss Thomas Tuchel: “I was insulted by this man standing next door.

“I told the referee that the fourth referee had heard the insults. My English is not perfect. I was focused on the game. I don’t know why he responded.

“I heard some insults, but it’s gone… it’s not nice and my irritation ultimately had something to do with it. I haven’t even spoken to him.”

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MIKEL ARTETA kept Leandro Trossard in check during heated scenes at the final whistle after Arsenal cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Winger Trossard looked in no mood to back down as Porto players confronted him after the Gunners’ 4-2 win on penalties.

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Arsenal boss Arteta had to grab the goalscorer around the waist in the middle of the Emirates pitch and send him off.

But tensions later rose again when Porto chief Sergio Conceicao accused his counterpart of “insulting my family” during the match.

Both managers were previously booked for protesting against second-half decisions in normal time before a goalless extra half-hour.

And the flare at the end typified a night that saw the Gunners reach the quarter-finals in fiery fashion for the first time since 2010.

Trossard had struck brilliantly in the 41st minute to give Arsenal a 1-0 win and a 1-1 draw.

David Raya’s two saves in the shootout sunk the combative Portuguese visitors.

And after confrontations between players on the field, Conceicao made his astonishing claims.

The Portugal boss said: “Arteta turned to the bench during the match and insulted my family in Spanish.

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“I told him that the person he insulted is no longer with us.

“Let him worry about training his team, which has more than enough quality to play a lot better.”

Arteta, meanwhile, defended his difficult moments, especially to the officials, saying: “There is a lot at stake, you defend your team in every decision.

“You want every decision to go your way and that’s part of the game.”

And while he focused on a triumph he was ‘so proud’ of, he suggested an electric atmosphere fueled by home fans was the solution.

The Spaniard said: “We love them, the energy they gave us helped us throughout the match. They made us win – it’s as simple as that.”

Reaching the last eight made Arteta “so happy – it’s been fourteen years, a long time for a club like Arsenal”.

And referring to Raya’s exploits, he added: “We really had to dig in today and find the magic moment that we found.

“It’s very difficult to play against them because they are a very competitive team, a very good team.”

Trossard summed up Arsenal’s relief when he tweeted celebratory photos of himself at X alongside the words: “QUARTER-FINAL!!”

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RIO FERDINAND has claimed Mikel Arteta would give up the Gunners for a chance to manage Manchester United.

Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is under increasing pressure at Old Trafford after a 2-1 home defeat to Fulham on Saturday.

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Ten Hag has failed to keep pace with the pack in the Premier League this season, while United currently sit 16 points off first place.

As Arsenal mount a title challenge under Arteta, who has reinvigorated the fans at the Emirates Stadium since his arrival in 2019.

Despite Arteta winning two FA Cups and making 150 appearances for the Gunners as a player, Ferdinand still believes the lure of Man Utd would turn his head if the opportunity arose.

Speaking Atmosphere with Fivehe said: “Mikel Arteta would leave Arsenal to join Man United 100 percent.

“Nobody says it’s happening, but if Man United said in a wild dream: ‘You know what, Erik ten Hag, thank you’, or if Erik ten Hag was poached by Bayern Munich,

“And he goes there, and then Man United say Arteta is at the top of the list. Arteta goes in and says to the boys, ‘Listen guys, it was emotional, but I have to move, I have to go.’ ”

Arsenal are currently just two points behind leaders Liverpool and have looked exceptional in February.

The North London club have won every Premier League match they have played this month, scoring 18 goals and conceding just two.

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Arteta is comfortable at the helm of his old club, where his current contract expires at the end of next season.

While Ten Hag faces an uphill battle to restart Man Utd’s poor season.

The Manchester giants take their last chance at silverware on Wednesday when they take on Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

A trip against noisy neighbors Man City will then follow at the weekend in what could be a decisive week for the future of the risky Ten Hag.

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MIKEL ARTETA says Arsenal are dreaming of Champions League glory at Wembley in June – despite their poor record in the competition.

The Gunners have been defeated in their latest defeat SEVEN last 16 tapes.

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But ahead of Wednesday night's first leg of the same leg in Porto, boss Arteta declared: “It should be incredible to have that feeling, to lift that cup, in London on June 1.

“It's there. It's in our minds. It's a dream.”

Arsenal's last appearance was in the last eight of the Champions League 14 YEARS AGOwhile the club's only final came in 2006, when Arsène Wenger's ten men lost 2–1 to Barcelona.

Arteta warned: “There are a lot of things you should have the right to do before a final and in Porto we have a big obstacle ahead of us.

“You have been out of the competition for two or three months and you are facing a completely different phase.

“All the teams are top and there is little time to prepare for matches.

“The ball is rolling and you have to be ready because the teams are very prepared and dangerous. We are really looking forward to it.”

Arsenal failed to qualify for the competition from the end of the 2016–17 season until they finished as runners-up last season.

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On their return to Europe's biggest stage, Arsenal topped the group with four wins from six.

Spaniard Arteta added: “It's great. We have earned the right to be here.

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“It's been years since we've been at the top in these types of competitions and fourteen years since we've been able to move to the next stage.

“That is the challenge, but we are going for it with confidence.”

Fabio Vieira has traveled to Portugal with the team and could feature against his former club, who have recovered from groin surgery.

But Thomas Partey has not been in danger, alongside Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Kai Havertz and Jorginho could feature after winning the Champions League in Porto with Chelsea in 2021 – Havertz scoring the only goal to beat Manchester City.

After a slow start since joining for £65m in the summer, striker Havertz has hit form.

Arteta said of the German's Euro glory: “It's probably the biggest highlight of his career. And also for Jorginho. It was incredible.”

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ARSENAL could cash in on Jakub Kiwior this summer with reports that top European clubs are interested in the defender.

Kiwior has struggled to secure a starting position for the Gunners since joining from Spezia for around £21m last January.

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Despite his irregular playing time, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal reportedly labeled Kiwior 'untouchable' when AC Milan and Roma were interested in loaning the 23-year-old last month.

But that may have changed over time Football London claiming that Juventus are now sniffing around the centre-back.

AC Milan are said to still be interested in Kiwior, while Napoli are also monitoring the Poland international.

Arteta rarely chooses Kiwor in his preferred central defense position, with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba both preferred to him.

The Pole has played the majority of his games at left-back this season and if he cashes in, Arsenal could bring in a new man on the left.

The North London club are reportedly eyeing a move for Ajax youngster Jorrel Hato.

The 17-year-old Dutchman can play as both a central defender and a left back and has already made his debut for the Dutch national team despite his young age.

Arsenal explored a deal for the teenager in January but cannot sign him until he turns 18 due to post-Brexit rules.

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The Premier League team has already signed a versatile defender from Ajax this season, with the arrival of Jurrien Timber in the summer.

But Timber is out after suffering an ACL injury in the first game of the season.

Ajax would like to extend Hato's contract, which currently only has eighteen months left, when he turns 18.

Should they secure the rising star on a long-term contract, it could reportedly hamper Arsenal's chances of completing the signing, likely to see his value increase significantly.

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Timber on his ACL recovery

Jurrien Timber has opened up about his road to recovery after his cruciate ligament injury.

The defender suffered the injury on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, but he hopes to come back stronger in the coming months.

He told the Arsenal media: “Of course it was difficult at times because you weren't playing, and that's what you like to do.

“Sometimes you really want to be part of the team. When you love the game so much, you really want to be there and be part of it. That's frustrating because sometimes it looks so great that you want to be part of it.

“But I use that as motivation during my recovery. I see the boys a lot, on the training field but also during the matches, and that has been good for me too.”

These months will certainly make me stronger. It's an opportunity for me to do it right. So even if I don't play, I can use this moment to get stronger mentally, physically and also to feel at home with this group of guys.

“It's an opportunity that I grabbed with both hands. I've had a little more time to watch the team, see how we play, how I can pass when I'm on the pitch, so if I look at the positives Look, I think there have been a lot of them.”

Arteta tells Arsenal stars to keep rowing

MIKEL ARTETA has told his Gunners they must keep rowing if they want title glory.

The Arsenal boss bizarrely made light of Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko's furious failures during the week by joking that they have now made up for it by 'sharing women'.

But Arteta says without his players putting pressure on each other, their Premier League dreams will remain confined to 'Disneyland'.

If Arsenal beat table toppers Liverpool on Sunday, they will move two points clear of them.

Emirates' blockbuster comes just five days after White and Zinchenko had to be separated when they clashed over a late goal in the 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

Asked if the defenders were friends again, Arteta joked: “They've been in the same house for the last few days – sharing their wives and stuff!

“It's fine, they live together now. They are best friends.”

More seriously, Arteta added: 'You don't argue with someone if you don't have a good relationship.

“You need the trust and chemistry with someone to respond the way they did.

“I love it. As long as it is in a respectful way and with the intention to be more demanding as a team and it will remain that way.

“A conversation can become heated with emotion after the match. It is normal.

“I want my players to have the desire to improve and to be demanding. If not, it's Disneyland.”