Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP Player Ratings: Zubimendi 8.0/10 Marshals Arsenal Into Champions League Semi-Finals Despite Nervy Goalless Draw

Arsenal did not need to be beautiful. They needed to be solid, disciplined, and professional, and for 90 tense, nervy minutes at the Emirates Stadium, that is precisely what they were. Sporting CP arrived in North London needing a goal to keep their Champions League dream alive, and despite some threatening moments that had the home crowd holding their breath, Mikel Arteta's side kept the door firmly shut to book their place in a second successive semi-final.

The first half was largely forgettable for Arsenal, with no shots on target, a pedestrian tempo, and a Catamo effort clipping the post that served as a genuine warning sign. Sporting had their moments of quality through Trincao and Pote, and for long stretches the visitors looked entirely capable of finding the goal that would have turned the tie on its head.

The second half brought more urgency from both sides, with Madueke finding the side-netting and Trossard hitting the post late on in moments that briefly threatened to complicate what should have been a straightforward evening. Sporting CP pushed desperately in the closing stages, but Arsenal's defensive structure, anchored brilliantly throughout by Zubimendi, never truly cracked under the pressure the Portuguese side applied.

A 1-0 aggregate victory sends the Gunners through to a semi-final date with Atletico Madrid, and while the performance will do little to quiet growing questions about Arsenal's domestic form, the result is ultimately all that matters in knockout football, and Arteta's side delivered exactly what was required on a night that demanded composure above all else. Here are Sportsdunia's Arsenal vs Sporting CP player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Zubimendi was Arsenal's most important player on the night, and his 8.0/10 rating reflected a display of quiet, authoritative midfield excellence.
• Arsenal's European resilience continues to be their most reliable quality.
• Sporting were brave and creative but ultimately lacked the clinical edge to punish Arsenal's vulnerability.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs Sporting CP

Here are the Arsenal player ratings vs Sporting CP.

Goalkeeper

David Raya - 7.0: A quiet night for the Spanish keeper which is a testament to his defence. He made one important save and was confident claiming high balls. His distribution was decent, though not perfect. Overall, a solid and untroubled performance to secure a clean sheet.

Defenders

William Saliba - 6.5: A bit of an unusual performance from our perspective. He won most of his duels and was generally solid but had a scary moment with an error that led to a shot. He wasn't as composed as we are used to seeing. A decent outing but not his best.

Cristhian Mosquera - 6.5: He put in a shift but looked a little shaky at times. Did his job defensively for the most part, making a couple of important clearances. However, being dispossessed once and dribbled past once shows there were moments of vulnerability. An average game.

Piero Hincapié - 7.0: A really busy and effective performance. He was a tackling machine, winning the ball back multiple times for his side. What stood out to us was his seven duels won, showing his combative nature. A strong defensive display.

Gabriel Magalhães - 7.0: The Brazilian was a rock at the back. He read the game well, making key interceptions and was strong in his duels. His passing out from the back was also crisp and accurate. A very reliable performance when his team needed it.

Midfielders

Eberechi Eze - 6.5: He looked lively and was always trying to make something happen. Took three shots, but none troubled the keeper. He lost the ball a bit too often for our liking which broke down attacks. A frustrating night for him, full of effort but no end product.

Gabriel Martinelli - 5.5: A very poor performance from the winger. He was a non-factor in attack and lost possession 11 times from only 27 touches. We expected so much more from him in a big Champions League night but he just couldn't get into the game. Very disappointing.

Noni Madueke - 7.5: Before his unfortunate injury, he was Arsenal's most dangerous player. He created three chances and was a constant menace with his dribbling. His substitution was a huge blow to the home side's attacking ambitions. He was on his way to a man-of-the-match performance.

Martín Zubimendi - 8.0: Our highest-rated player and man of the match. He was simply sublime in the middle of the park. Controlled the tempo with his 89% pass accuracy created a big chance and was a wall defensively. A complete midfield performance that deserved a win.

Declan Rice - 7.5: The captain led by example. His passing was near-perfect at 97%, and he created three chances for his teammates. He controlled the midfield alongside Zubimendi, breaking up play and starting attacks. A top-class display.

Forwards

Viktor Gyökeres - 6.0: He really struggled to make an impact. The Sporting CP defence marshalled him well, and he was isolated for large parts of the game. Substituted early in the second half after failing to make his mark. A night to forget.

Manager

M. Arteta - 6.0: His team had plenty of the ball but couldn't find a way through a stubborn defence. The substitutions didn't quite have the desired impact. He'll be frustrated that his side couldn't capitalize on their home advantage in this match.

Sporting CP Player Ratings vs Arsenal

Check out the Sporting CP player ratings vs Arsenal.

Goalkeeper

Rui Silva - 7.0: He was solid when called upon. Made a crucial save from inside the box and was commanding in his area. His distribution was effective, and he played his part in a valuable clean sheet away from home.

Defenders

Maxi Araújo - 7.5: What a warrior. He was immense, winning five tackles and six duels. Picked up a yellow card for his troubles but that just showed his commitment. He even forced a save with a shot from distance. A fantastic all-round display.

Gonçalo Inácio - 7.0: A very composed and classy performance. His passing from the back was excellent, helping his team build from deep. He was positionally sound and didn't put a foot wrong all game. A mature display.

Ousmane Diomande - 6.5: Kept it simple and effective. A 94% pass accuracy shows his tidiness on the ball. He wasn't tested as much as his partners but did his job without any fuss when needed. A solid, if unspectacular, performance.

Eduardo Quaresma - 7.0: He was a defensive wall for the 85 minutes he was on the pitch. Made five crucial clearances and won all his tackles. He put his body on the line for the team. A proper battling defender's performance.

Midfielders

Hidemasa Morita - 6.5: He worked tirelessly in midfield, recovering the ball six times. However, he was a bit wasteful in possession which was frustrating. A game of two halves for him, good without the ball but not so good with it.

Pedro Gonçalves - 7.0: He was the creative hub for Sporting CP. His passing was almost perfect, and he created a couple of decent chances. He was a constant threat whenever he got on the ball. A very intelligent player.

Geny Catamo - 6.5: So unlucky to hit the woodwork. He was a livewire, always looking to run at the Arsenal defence. The downside was his tendency to lose possession, which happened nine times. A threat but also frustrating.

Francisco Trincão - 6.5: Incredibly tidy on the ball, with a 97% pass completion rate. He kept possession well but didn't offer much of a threat in the final third. A safe performance when maybe more risk was needed.

Morten Hjulmand - 7.5: The captain was a colossus in midfield. He broke up play with tackles and interceptions and distributed the ball intelligently. He completely nullified the Arsenal attack through the middle. A brilliant captain's performance.

Forwards

Luis Suárez - 6.0: A thankless task for the lone striker. He worked hard and battled for every ball but was completely isolated. He didn't get a sniff of a chance all game. Hard to fault his effort, but he had zero impact.

Manager

R. Gomes Borges - 7.5: He got his tactics absolutely spot on. His team was organized, disciplined, and resilient. They frustrated Arsenal and created the best chance of the first half. A perfect away performance in the Champions League.

Man of the Match

Martín Zubimendi was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Gabriel Martinelli was the worst performer.