Rodríguez confident the real Braga will stand up

Buoyed by a 1-0 win at FK Partizan on Matchday 4, SC Braga welcome Arsenal FC still firmly believing that a place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 is within reach.

Braga currently sit third in Group H – three points shy of Arsenal and FC Shakhtar Donetsk – but defender Alberto Rodríguez feels that the momentum is with last season's Portuguese Liga runners-up. "The team spirit is good," he said. "We are thinking only about tomorrow's match and are ready to win."

It seems that not even the lingering memory of a 6-0 defeat by Arsène Wenger's side on Matchday 1 can dent their confidence. "We are better than we were in the first match against Arsenal," added the Peruvian. "Nobody in the team expected that result. Now we think in a different way because we know we have to win if we want to continue in the Champions League."

Both sides head into the fixture on the back of indifferent domestic results. While Arsenal squandered a 2-0 lead to succumb 3-2 at home to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC on Saturday, Braga's most recent league game was a 2-1 defeat at Vitória SC on 13 November.

"Arsenal's latest result in the league wasn't positive, and nor was ours," added the 26-year-old centre-back. "But this is a different competition, and we know that both teams will give everything they can to get through tomorrow. We have to concentrate on not conceding any goals and focus on our football, as we normally would."

The visit of illustrious opponents Arsenal for the first time adds yet more sparkle to Braga's European adventure and Rodríguez is all too aware that the home fans must play their part if progress is to remain on the cards. "We know our fans are behind us, we respect them and we'll try to make history for them and us tomorrow. We feel we can do it."