FC Porto

As the United defence went AWOL in the dying stages of the first leg against Porto to allow Mariano to equalise, just minutes after Carlos Tevez looked to have secured victory, the Old Trafford faithful went silent.

At 2-1, the tie was very much in the balance, considering that Porto had one away goal. A 1-0 back in Portugal would send them through. So, for the game to eventually finish 2-2 must count as a mini-disaster. The result leaves Manchester United realistically needing a win over at the intimidating Estadio do Dragao.

A 2-2 draw would prolong the tie and send it into extra-time and possibly penalties. Anything higher than a 2-2 would also see Manchester United progress.

As Porto has recorded wins this season over the likes of Fenerbahce and Arsenal, and also managed to keep a clean sheet against Atletico Madrid, who have quite an array of attacking options, most neutrals might think that Porto have a great chance of qualifying for the semifinals.

After all, they just need to shut up shop at the back, like they did against Atletico, and hold on for the final whistle, right?

Easier said than done. Manchester United will take some stopping. Porto are faced with a little bit of a dilemma here. Should they look to defend, Manchester United will eventually score. Here's why.

Helton

Occasionally brilliant, often bumbling. A goalkeeper cut from the same mould that produced Heurelho Gomes, Fabien Barthez, and, of course, Massimo Taibi, Helton is hardly a keeper you would rely on to keep clean sheets.

While he can hardly be blamed for the two goals conceded by Porto in the first leg, one needs only to look at the previous round of matches, where he let a Forlan shot coming straight at him spill into goal, for proof that he really cannot be counted on.

Suspect when coming for crosses and quite awful decision-making mean that he is the weakest link in the Porto lineup, and I am sure Sir Alex Ferguson will be instructing his men to shoot on sight.

The Porto Defence

While not exactly poor defenders, they are rather slow. In the first leg, Manchester United did not test them fully, as they were pegged back by some brilliant Porto attacks. Now, with Manchester United needing to go all-out from the whistle, they will be stretched to the limit.

I predict they will struggle in the face of lightning-quick Manchester United counterattacks.

Cristiano Ronaldo

He will be a star in this match. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, he was rested for the league game against Sunderland, and as such, should be fresh and raring to go for this one.

Second, Ronaldo thrives whenever people boo him. His best seasons in England have come after the infamous incident in the 2006 World Cup where he got England favourite Wayne Rooney sent off, and that, of course, meant he became an object of hate back in England and at every away ground.

This being the stomping ground of his former club Sporting Lisbon's rivals, he is going to be roundly abused by Porto fans. And he will perform.

Dimitar Berbatov

The brilliant Bulgarian is back, and I think he has been missed. He provides all sorts of opportunities for his teammates with his quick thinking and vision, much like how Bergkamp used to be the brains for Arsenal.

Tevez and Rooney will provide the legs, but should Porto look to shut up shop, Dimitar Berbatov will be there to pick the lock all night long.

So that means Porto cannot look to defend from the first whistle. However, should they adopt an attacking approach, they will be torn to bits on the counter. It's a lose-lose situation for Porto, and I cannot see Manchester United getting knocked out here.

Porto no longer have the element of surprise now, as Ferguson will not need to tell his men about the dangers of Porto's attackers. Without underestimating their opponents as they did in the first leg, and possibly without the air of complacency hanging over Old Trafford, I think Manchester United are clear favourites to advance.

I'm going to put my money where my mouth is, so if you fancy lining your pockets with a little extra money, consider a little flutter on Manchester United to advance to the semifinals, which is priced at £1.90 at bet365.com.

Twelve months ago, no-one around Europe, or even Portugal, would've been familiar with the name Aly Cissokho. Not many in France would've been either.

The French-Senegalese left-back, who is just 21 years old, was plying his trade in Ligue 2 last season (French second division), with FC Gueugnon.

However, with a series of brilliant performances in which the young Frenchman outshone all the other players in the second tier of French football, it was something of an anti-climax when it was announced that the defender, who had attracted significant interest from a whole host of top Ligue 1 clubs, was going to sign for Portuguese Liga (Portuguese first division) side Vitória de Setúbal.

The young full-back had started his professional career as a 19-year-old in 2007, after coming through the FC Gueugnon youth academy.

He made his debút in the last match of 2006/07 season, where an impressive display saw the young talent being rewarded with a three-year extension to his contract with the Ligue 2 club.

The next season (2007/08), Cissokho continued where he left off. After initially struggling to break into the side, he rose to prominence in the last part of the season, ending up with 22 league appearances, including a number of outstanding displays.

Just as he was forging himself a reputation in France (with the French media producing constant speculation), on June 2, 2008, he signed for Vitória de Setúbal, on a three-year deal.

However, his stay with the club would only last five months.

Vitória de Setúbal were struggling in the league, languishing just above the relegation zone, and most likely would've been in it had it not been for the summer signing of Aly Cissokho.

In his 13 Portuguese Liga appearances, and two UEFA Cup appearances, the talented left-back had gained valuable top-flight and European experience, as well as the opportunity to showcase his talents to the European big-boys.

Cissokho was a star in the Vitória de Setúbal side, one of the key players that would help drag them out of their current predicament in the Portuguese Liga.

Such status, however, clearly showed his talent, and it wasn't long before FC Porto, who needed a left-back, came in for the youngster.

Vitória de Setúbal were forced to let go of one of their most important players, and it was announced that in January 2009, after just five months with the club, Cissokho would move north to join Portuguese powerhouses FC Porto on a four-year deal, worth around £300,000 a season.

In less than 12 months, the 21-year-old left-back had gone from initially sitting on the bench at a French second division side, to signing a four-year deal at one of Europe's top clubs.

It has been a rapid rise to success, but as with most talented young players, it's clear that Cissokho has no intention of just stopping there.

He has already become the first-choice left back for the Dragons. At the time of writing he has made nine league appearances, with three in the UEFA Champions League. His appearances in Europe have been at the business end of the tournament—the knock-out stages, and all these appearances have been from a starting position.

In the space of just one year, he has gone from tussling with French second division wingers, to marking the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, in front of a crowd of 74,517 in a vital quarterfinal match, televised all over the world.

With such a meteoric rise to success, there is no doubt that the young full-back will be linked with even bigger and better things. I have already read somewhere that Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in him, as well as La Liga big-boys Real Madrid.

Speaking to the official UEFA website, Aly Cissokho spoke of his rapid rise to success, saying: "This is something else for me.

"I've just arrived at Porto, it's my first time at a big club, and it's a long way away from the level where I started in France.

"In January, I had the chance to sign for Porto and with it the opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League.

"You have to raise your level straight away and it's not easy. It's the top level. You're playing against international players, the best players in the world, so you have to have twice as much concentration as before."

As with all talented youngsters (such as Manchester United starlet Federico Macheda, a.k.a. "Kiko") Cissokho must not get carried away with all the progress he has made.

If he can just maintain his level of performance until the end of the season, the kid who started out down low in French football could end up not just challenging the world's top players, but who knows, maybe even starting alongside them.

Nothing is certain in football, but if one thing's for sure, it's that FC Porto head coach Jesualdo Ferreira will be working damn hard this summer to keep this young talent playing at the Estadio do Dragao, and not anywhere else.

Back in 2004, the ninth day of March, 22.29 local hour, a full crowded Old Trafford stadium was seething with enthusiasm and excitement.

The MU was through, after a hard-earned victory against a defiant FC Porto side, which no one expected to be so tough. A minute later, the theater of dreams became the one of the shattered dreams, as Costinha scored a late equalizer which means that it was end of the road for red devils.     

The clock displayed 90, a blank point range death. Nothing to do.  

That season, the FC Porto emblem shone brightly in the European firmament. Such emblem, which is Porto’s city coat of arms, shows a dragon in the crest of a quartered Samnitic shield (the motif why they are called “the dragons”) holding a badge which reads, “cidade invicta” (the invincible city).

Just within a month, they were lifting up their second European cup, to the astonishment of almost every football follower.

Now, five-years later from that point in football history, fate gifted us with another challenge between these two teams. While the colors are the same, the protagonists and circumstances are totally different.

First, we must admit that despite the numbers of stars it held , 2004 MU squad was not too far away from Porto's representatives at the time. 

The Portuguese’s lineup, featuring Deco, Carvalho, Costinha, Maniche, P. Ferreira, Nuno Valente, Jorge Costa, V. Baia and Carlos Alberto was not really that below in terms of performance, that the one formed by Howard, Neville, Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Butt, Giggs, and Scholes.

The exception was, of course, Van Nistelrooy, a piece which the Portuguese were fairly unable to reproduce or even emulate in their scheme, but that they successfully managed to cancel in their contender's plan of action.

And of course, Porto’s manager at the time was the all acclaimed, worldwide hated, self-made strategist, visionary and more recently philosopher, José Mourinho. An important remark to point out.   

Up to now, the situation is outrageously different.

Visibly, there is indeed a big gap between the squads. While MU has succeeded through the years in gathering one of the most, if not the most, powerful squad in Europe and probably in the whole world, FC Porto have done just the contrary, being forced themselves to sell (for a good price, must say) valuable players in the rise of their careers that they know they are unable to retain when facing the call of a bigger club.

The former 2004 European Champions come up now with a fresh, vibrant and sometimes clever lineup taken out mostly from the South American vintage, which is perfectly suitable for challenging in the domestic competition (having claimed three of the last four Portuguese Superliga titles) but far too light-weighted when giving the task of overcoming reigning champions Manchester United.

Porto’s dynamite—notably formed by the López/Hulk/González trident—seems to damp when we speak of the likes of Ronaldo/Rooney/Berbatov/Tévez, not to mention the rest of areas of both teams, a lot better, well-balanced and cemented in MU than in Porto.

Second, the circumstances are definitively not the same. Back in time, FC Porto was facing a team which was a pretty good English team, but not the best team in the world as it is now frequently stared like, after winning five trophies in a bit more than a year, and being in course for three more until the end of the season.

The accumulated experience of the current MU squad is overwhelming, compared to that of the FC Porto.

Moreover, when Porto entered the Old Trafford stadium at 2004, they carried the European-tiny-country “poor victim” label, something which clearly played in their favor.

Actually they will carry the “convict facing execution” one, for I bet that what happened barely five years ago, haven’t been forgotten at all by MU fans and some of the players at the time, who actually still play in the team.

As seen, Manchester United has almost all –except for the decisive leg venue—in their favor. The best squad available, the experience, the momentum...What do FC Porto have in their favor?

The chance of playing the second leg match in their own stadium, O Dragao (the dragon); a fervent mass of supporters which firmly believes in them and never ever stop to cheer their team, and the glimpse of two European Champion Cups in their display cabinet, what somehow should encourage them to try their hardest.

Their winning chances, which for insignificant that they could be still they held some, are in summary to grit their teeth in Old Trafford and hold MU impetus the best they can, trying maybe to snatch a goal—what would be a piece of paradise in terms of value—and set up trenches while mining the camp in O Dragao, preparing themselves for a very tough combat in the last and decisive leg.

Frankly speaking, as a FC Porto sympathizer I am (I’m also and first of all an AC Milan fan)in my opinion their aim shall be:

First and more idyllic, winning the row.

Second and more realistic, to at least achieve a decent and respectable exit to the tournament, with their heads up, something that will somehow fix a bit the disgraceful image of the Portuguese football in recent times, considering the pathetic example given by the Sporting Lisbon in the previous stage of the current tournament, and Porto’s own failure to reach quarter finals during the last five years.

Can Os Dragoes make the improbable? Quite difficult, but not impossible. Anyway, I would really wish they could keep in mind that if they are to lose, at least make their opponents sweat like in hell, and grant us a memorable match for the sake of football.

Manchester United v Porto
Tuesday 7 April 2009,
Old Trafford Kickoff: 19:45

Manchester United

Manchester United beat Inter Milan 2-0 at Old Trafford in their last Champions League match, to win the last-16 fixture 2-0 on aggregate.

Man Utd have won three and drawn five in their Champions League campaign so far this season, scoring eleven and conceding three in the process.

Man U will be without Dimitar Berbatov for the match after the Bulgarian striker was ruled out for two weeks with an ankle injury. United will also be without defender Rio Ferdinand and midfielder Anderson.

However, Gary Neville should feature after returning from injury in Man Utd's win over Aston Villa and Ryan Giggs may play as well.

Rafael should also be fit for this match, but Wes Brown will still be out with an ankle injury.

Debut hero Federico Macheda is set to be included in Man United's squad for the match.

Porto

FC Porto drew 2-2 away with Atlético Madrid in their last Champions League match to win the fixture 2-2 on away goals aggregate.

In their Champions League campaign this season, Porto have won four, drawn two and lost two, scoring eleven and conceding ten goals in the process.

Porto will be without Fucile (ankle), Freddy Guarín (ankle) and Nelson Benítez (groin) for this match.

Prediction

Both teams currently sit top of their respective leagues, however, Manchester United for all intents and purposes have been in a league of their own for most of the season.

This form has translated into their Champions League performances, with the Red Devils having gone a record twenty-one matches without a defeat in Europe's most prestigious competition.

After their recent Premier League setback that saw them suffer two straight losses—and almost a third had it not been for a late comeback and a brilliant injury time goal by debutant Federico Macheda—Man Utd have seemingly put their title ambitions and form back on track after the weekend victory over Aston Villa.

However, Manchester United have not played a Champions League fixture since their slump in form, so it will be interesting to see how the Red Devils cope with perhaps a greater opposition in Porto, the very team that eliminated them from the Champions League in 2004.

If Manchester United can return to their winnings ways once again, then Porto should prove little problem for the defending European champions. The massive added benefit of Old Trafford will boost Man Utd greatly, with Man U not having lost at their home ground in the Champions League all season.

But if the reigning champions have still not recovered from their recent lapse then a very different result on the night could ensue, with Porto perhaps grabbing a massive away draw.

At the end of the day, though, Manchester United still very much look like the team to beat and will go into the match as heavy favourites.

For the best betting odds for the match, go to the Manchester United vs Porto preview page now!

Then, Read More Champions League Previews such as Villareal vs Arsenal and Liverpool vs Chelsea

Schalke 1 - Borussia Dortmund 1 (Bundesliga, February 20, 2009) Schalke went ahead in the 20th minute, Halil Altintop supplied the cross and Kevin Kuranyi hit a fantastic bicycle-style strike on the volley which gave Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller no chance. Schalke levelled nine minutes later when Mohamed Zidan, on as a second half substitute, fired the ball past Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after a neat one-two with Nelson Valdez.

***

Vitesse 3 - Roda 0 (Eredivisie, February 20, 2009) Vitesse had victory all but wrapped up within the opening 19 minutes after goals from Dalibor Stevanovic, and then Sebastien Sansoni arrived in quick succession. Roda maintained a brief glimmer of hope in the game until midway through the second half when Nick Hofs put the game to bed.

***

Pacos Ferreira 0 - FC Porto 2 (Superliga, February 20, 2009) The Dragoes continued their eleven match unbeaten streak at Pacos. Hulk opened the scoring for Porto fifteen minutes in with a brilliant left-footed shot to the opposite far corner.And after the break Ricardo was adjudged to have brought down Hulk in the area and Bruno Alves calmly stepped up and gave Porto the 2-nil lead from the spot.

***

Gaziantepspor 0 - Besiktas 3 (Super Lig, February 20, 2009) A second half brace from Nobre, with a goal from Tello sandwiched in between, gave Bestiktas the points.

***

Mattersburg 2 - Ried 2 (T-Mobile Bundesliga, February 20, 2009)

***

Newells Old Boys 1 - Gimnasia J 1 (Clausura, February 20, 2009) Both goals were scored in the second half, with Juan Arraya putting the visitors ahead before and Santiago Salcedo brought Newell’s level.

Huracan 0 - Gimnasia La Plata 2 (Clausura, February 20, 2009)

Mallorca 3 - Almeria 1 (Copa Del Rey, Jan. 8, 2009) Alhassane Keita tapped home the first before Ortiz equalised with a free kick that gave Auoate no chance. Cleber Santana put Mallorca 2-1 up before the break and Fernando Varela sealed the win 11 minutes into the second period.

Osasuna 1 - Athletic Bilbao 1 (Copa Del Rey, Jan. 8, 2009)

***

FC Porto 2 - Setubal 1 (Portuguese League Cup, Jan. 8, 2009) Farias headed home the first after the Setubal keeper failed to catch a cross. Leandro equalised from the penalty spot before Rabiola bagged the winner with 12 minutes to go.

***

Boulogne 3 - Lens 1 (Ligue 2, Jan. 8, 2009)

***

Altay 1 - Galatasaray 2 (Turkiye Kupasi Group B, Jan. 8, 2009) The opening goal from Ozer was worth the entrance fee alone.

***

Yemen 0 - Saudi Arabia 6 (Gulf Cup Group B, Jan. 8, 2009)

Qatar 0 - UAE 0 (Gulf Cup Group B, Jan. 8, 2009)

Ricardo Quaresma emerged from Sporting Lisbon's famed academy, which has also produced the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Joao Moutinho, and Miguel Veloso.

Quaresma was quite impressive for Sporting as an attacking winger; he had pace and was exceptionally skillful on the flanks.

He netted eight leagues in his time at Sporting before he caught the eye of FC Barcelona.

Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona captured the Portuguese winger despite interest from several other leading European clubs including Liverpool at that time.

However, he had a terrible time at the Nou Camp, as he made only ten starts in his first season and grew out of favour with the Rijkaard.

Quaresma ran out of patience; he wanted to play and he announced he would never play for Barcelona again, which ensured a bunch of cheeky offers reached the Catalan Giants.

Eventually, he returned home and joined FC Porto, with Deco going the other way.

He was an instant hit at Porto, with his sensational trickery and mesmerising ability to be a defender's nightmare. Quaresma even drew comparisons with Manchester United's high-flying sensation, Cristiano Ronaldo.

He was given the "play-maker" role at Estadio do Dragao, and he truly obliged.

His long-range shooting ability made him a fan favourite, and he helped Porto to win the league during his last three seasons at the club, scoring 24 goals in that time.

There was heavy speculation about his future with Porto. Liverpool and Chelsea were reported to be interested in the summer of 2008, but it was Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan who eventually landed the winger.

However, his stint in Milan has been far from impressive, as he has scored a solitary goal in 11 appearances.

Mourinho, though, believes he will be changed player - 'come the end of the season'

Overall Career Grade - C+

Remarks: "Under The Shadow" believes Ricardo Quaresma has the ability to be a much bigger player than he has become. He has it all: pace, trickery, long-distance shooting, and efficient passing ability.

Yet, he has had more "downs" in his career than "ups." We believe given more time, he could become a phenomenon at a club where he is given regular playing opportunities.

click here for Under the Shadow of...Robbie Keane

Welcome to the emotional rollercoaster that is Arsenal F.C. 

After disappointing fans with an average performance culminating in the shock loss to Hull in the Premiership on Saturday,  Arsenal were back at their scintillating best tonight against F.C. Porto.

The Gunners named an almost unchanged line-up from the Hull City game, the only change to the starting 11 was Samir Nasri coming in for Emmanuel Eboue on the left hand side.

Nearly 60,000 fans were at the Emirates to watch the game between Arsenal and Porto.

Porto went with a fairly defensive line-up, playing what seemed like a back seven for most of the first half.

Arsenal started brightly and, bar one or two Porto counter attacks that went close, controlled the first half with 65% possession.

Nasri, Walcott, Fabregas, van Persie and Adebayor all looked good going forward in stark contrast to the game at the weekend.

After half an hour and still no goal, this Arsenal fan was b3ecoming a little concerned that we would not be able to turn possession into goals, that was until Adebayor broke through and cut the ball back to Robin van Persie to slot home in the 31st minute.

A brilliant Arsenal move which was well converted by van Persie. 1 - 0 to the Arsenal.

Unlike recent games, Arsenal kept up the pressure after scoring the first and Adebayor scored Arsenals second, beating his marker and guiding a header into the ground that bounced over the keeper and defender on the line in the 40th minute. 2 - 0 to the Arsenal.

Arsenal were just as good in the second half, controlling possession and creating all of the chances.

Robin van Persie scored just three minutes into the second half with the outside of his right boot to beat the Porto keeper and make it 3 - 0 to the Arsenal.

Van Persie and Nasri were substituted for Bendtner and Eboue in the 63rd minute and Arsenal seemed to hardly break stride, if anything they were a little wasteful in front of goal with Walcott, Nasri, Adebayor, and Eboue all missing from about 6 yards out in the second half.

Then on 69 minutes, Bendtner was felled in the box and Adebayor duly converted the resulting penalty to make it 4 - 0 to the Arsenal.

It was one of those nights where Arsenal could have scored 10 if they were a little more steady in front of the goals. 

The Porto keeper Helton was poor and the Porto defence were all at sea, Arsenal players breaking through seemingly at will.

Carlos Vela came on for Theo Walcott in the 71st minute and cut apart the Porto defence with a sublime run which Bendtner failed to convert.  Even Arsene Wenger and Pat Rice were laughing on the Arsenal bench, a sight you don't see too often.

Party mode was on for the last 10 minutes with Eboue doing his best impression of Cristiano Ronaldo via a string of stepovers.....unfortunately the Ivoirian midfielder couldn't follow it up with a goal.

You may notice that I have hardly mentioned Porto in this recap, that is purely because, apart from a sublime strike by Lisandro early in the first half, they were rarely in the game.

All in all it was a brilliant performance from this Arsenal side and hopefully one which will again silence the nay-sayers and the doubters in the media.

Whilst this victory does not necessarily mean that Arsenal have fixed all of their problems, it does reinforce what this side is capable of when they are in form.

This side have a bright future, there is no doubt about it....

Spain's last-minute win against Sweden has added a lot of excitement to the ongoing European Championships in Austria and Switzerland.

However, tonight the attention shifts to Portugal taking on Switzerland. Portugal are already through from their group, winning both of their games. However, Big Phil Scolari will be keen on a thumping win which would give his side some much needed confidence going into the next round.

The Swiss will be playing for pride, trying to impress their home crowd after suffering defeat in both of their games.

Scolari is expected to rest the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco while giving opportunities to the likes of Nani and Miguel Veloso. FC Porto's Ricardo Quaresma will be looking to impress if he gets his first start of the tournament.

The other game between Turkey and Czech Republic will hold a lot of importance because it will decide who joins Portugal in the next round.

New rules introduced by UEFA mean that if the two sides should draw their game at the Stade de Geneve, the game will be decided on spot-kicks.

That is very exciting as far as I'm concerned, especially after recently witnessing a penalty shootout in Moscow between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Czech coach Karel Bruckner is unlikely to change the side that lost last time out to Portugal and will stick with Milan Baros despite his recent lack of goals.

Turkey coach Fatih Terim is planning on making three changes to the side that started against Switzerland last time out and confirmed Turkey will still be without captain Emre Belozoglu after he picked up a hamstring injury in training.

The history of fixtures between the two sides favours the Czechs, who have won three of the four meetings between the sides.

Whatever happens, I'm anxiously awaiting this clash between Czech Republic and Turkey and what's surprising about that is that I have not been too moved by the tournament so far.