Arsenal are reportedly set to appoint Andrea Berta as their sporting director, which could lead to a flurry of transfer activity.

Barcelona managed a 1-0 win over Benfica despite going down to 10 men as they triumphed in the Champions League round of 16 first leg

The UEFA Champions League is in the Round of 16 and one of the first leg matchups on Wednesday, March 5 sees Benfica challenging Barcelona at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.

There is no chance of Mikel Arteta being sacked if Arsenal don't bring home a trophy, and a new sporting director will be key to the manager getting the players he wants, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The round of 16 is officially underway in the UEFA Champions League with several teams halfway to a spot in the quarterfinals after first-leg action. Arsenal, Aston Villa and Real Madrid all carry advantages heading into next week's second leg,

Playing with 10-men for over an hour of the game, Barcelona showed character and defeated Benfica 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

Arsenal are reportedly closing in on hiring Andrea Berta to succeed sporting director Edu, with the Italian having spent a decade at Atletico Madrid after being behind numerous big-name signings