It was an excellent week for Portuguese clubs in Europe as Porto, Benfica and Sporting all clocked up wins. Porto’s 3-2 win at Galatasaray saw the Dragons equal their highest ever points total in the group stage of the Champions League – 16. Benfica saw off AEK Athens in Lisbon thanks to a superb Álex Grimaldo free kick late on, and also in the Portuguese capital the following night Sporting kept up their good form under new coach Marcel Keizer, beating Ukrainian outfit Vorskla Poltava 3-0.
Elsewhere, there was a second brace of the season in the Champions League for Raphaël Guerreiro, while Pedro Martins’ Olympiakos celebrate progress in the Europa League at the expense of AC Milan and Ricardo Quaresma counts the cost of a red card as Besiktas crash out of the competition on Thursday night.
Galatasaray 2-3 FC Porto
Porto, having already secured top spot in the group, travelled to Istanbul looking to keep their long winning run going and looked to be cruising to a 12th straight victory after a Felipe header and a Moussa Marega penalty put them two goals to the good.
Marega’s successful spot kick made it five straight Champions League games that the in-form Malian has found the net. The home team got back into the game just before half time, also from the penalty spot as Felipe fouled Rodrigues in the box and Feghouli made no mistake.
The Portuguese champions continued to look the stronger side, though, with Hernâni making the most of a rare start. Having won Porto’s penalty, the winger then did exceptionally well to tee up Sérgio Oliveira for an easy finish from close range to restore Porto’s two-goal advantage just before the hour mark.
Galatasaray, who needed a win to avoid relying on results elsewhere to qualify for the Europa League, were not finished, and in the 65th minute Derdiyok slid in to score from a low cross. Just two minutes later the hosts had a golden opportunity to draw level as another penalty was awarded, this time for Maxi’s rash challenge on Rodrigues.
But Feghouli smashed his effort onto the bar and Porto held on for yet another victory in what is turning into a memorable season for the Dragons.
Benfica 1-0 AEK Athens
With everything settled in Group E between these two sides before kick-off, it was little surprise that a lukewarm match ensued. As the half-time whistle was blown, many of the sparse crowd at the Estádio da Luz made their displeasure felt at the fare on offer with a chorus of boos.
The second half livened up, with a more energetic Benfica taking the initiative. The hard-working Seferovic sent a dangerous cross into the box, Gedson Fernandes lobbed narrowly off target, while at the other end of the pitch Marios Oikonomou headed inches wide.
Seferovic then brought a sharp save out of AEK goalkeeper Barkas, before the Swiss striker came even closer as his header thudded off the top of the crossbar. Seferovic then sent Gedson racing through on goal with an incisive through ball but Barkas saved well from the youngster and it seemed Benfica would be frustrated.
However, soon after Galanopoulos was sent off for the visitors for a second yellow card Benfica made their numerical advantage count as Grimaldo curled in a beautifully struck free kick. There was still time for livewire Seferovic to crash a spectacular shot off the bar and post.
Sporting 3-0 Vorskla Poltava
Sporting set a record points total in a group stage of a European competition with another win on Thursday night, making it 13 points in their Group E Europa League campaign.
With the Lions guaranteed 2nd place whatever the result, Dutch coach Marcel Keizer made a raft of changes, with Bas Dost, Nani and Mathieu among other first teamers rested, and the bench packed with youth academy products.
Even so, the Portuguese side were far too good for the modest Vorskla. With Bruno Fernandes running the show and Fredy Montero showing clever movement and a silky touch, it was no surprise that the Lions had a 3-0 lead by half time courtesy of a Montero header, a Miguel Luís goal to finish a fine team move and an own goal by Ardin Dallku.
The second half saw three youngsters given their senior bow at Alvalade, Pedro Marques, Thierry Correia and Bruno Paz, the latter playing an impressive cameo showing calmness, good awareness and accurate passing.
The only negative of the night was the fact Montero had to be stretchered off in the second half with what looked like a bad ankle injury. Sporting under Keizer march on, the Lisbon side having won 5 out of 5 under the Dutch manager, scoring 20 goals in the process.
Portuguese Abroad Champions League round-up
Raphaël Guerreiro scored his second brace of this season’s Champions League with both goals as Borussia Dortmund beat Monaco 2-0 to win Group A. The Portugal full-back scored in both halves to ensure that the German side finish ahead of runners-up Atletico Madrid, who relinquished top spot after a goalless draw at Club Brugge.
Guerreiro was making just his fourth start of a season disrupted by injury, and Dortmund manager Lucien Favre selected the 24-year-old in an attacking role at the Stade Louis II. Both goals were relatively simple finishes after Guerreiro found space inside the box, with his second a particularly confident shot into the top corner.
There was even better news for Dortmund at the final whistle as word spread that Atletico Madrid had failed to beat Belgians Club Brugge, leaving Guerreiro’s side as group winners. Gelson Martins started for Atletico in Belgium, but was substituted on the hour and is still searching for his first Atletico goal since marking his debut with a winner against minnows Sant Andreu in the Copa del Rey in October.
“We were very close” – Fonseca
Ahead of Wednesday evening there was only one spot in the knockout rounds of the Champions League still to be finalised, with Shakhtar Donetsk hosting French side Lyon in Ukraine to decide which team would advance from Group F alongside Manchester City. Shakhtar needed a win from the match, which was played outside of Donetsk and instead in the capital city Kiev.
Things were looking promising for Shakhtar when top goalscorer Junior Moraes put the hosts ahead midway through the first half, but Nabil Fekir levelled for Lyon on 65 minutes to put them back in control. Lyon’s Portugal international goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was decisive after that, making a good save from Ismaily to keep the score at 1-1 as the game came to a close.
“We were very close to advancing further in the Champions League, to doing something the team had not managed to do for two consecutive years” Shakhtar’s Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca said after the match. “What didn’t work? We failed to retain the advantage we had at 1-0. Thanks to Fekir's individual brilliance, Lyon managed to level the score.
“From the very beginning, we understood that it would be very difficult. And even so, we did not lose a single game to Lyon and Hoffenheim, just the meetings with City, we’ve got no defeats against the others. We realised very well that the Manchester guys were the group favourites. The other three clubs could fight for the second spot. What spoilt all the calculations was Lyon’s victory over City.
“In general, the group was balanced, and we are upset that we failed to secure the second place,” concluded the former Porto boss, who will now prepare his team for the Europa League.
Mourinho’s United miss their chance
There were surprises on the final matchday in Group H, with both qualified teams Juventus and Manchester United losing away from home. For José Mourinho’s United, the 2-1 defeat at Valencia, who selected Rúben Vezo in central defence, represented a missed opportunity to beat Italians Juve to top spot and a more favourable draw in the next round.
However, Mourinho dismissed the importance of winning the group when asked after the match, instead choosing to express his disappointment in the players he asked to step into a changed United side. “The Champions League finalists from last season can meet each other in the next round,” he said.
“So I don’t think the problem is the draw. But I expect more from players, especially players that every week you ask me why they don’t play. It was a good match to play, without pressure. In the end my team improved when I made the changes I didn’t want to make, which is a little frustrating as I did not want to play the three players I brought on in the second half.”
Perhaps even more surprising than United’s loss was Juventus going down to a 2-1 defeat at Young Boys in Switzerland. Cristiano Ronaldo started the match and provided the assist for Paulo Dybala’s consolation, but after failing to find the net Ronaldo has just one goal from five games in the competition so far. Who would have thought Raphaël Guerreiro would end the group phase with three more goals than the Portugal captain?!
Bernardo Silva played for Manchester City as they ended their group stage with a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim, but there was little else to shout about elsewhere for Portugal’s representatives. Eder was subbed at half time as Lokomotiv Moscow lost their must-win game at Schalke 1-0 on Tuesday, while Mário Rui was taken off during Napoli’s defeat at Liverpool which cost them their place in the next round.
Nélson Semedo was given a runout by already qualified Barcelona in a side containing several young players against Tottenham Hotspur at Camp Nou, with the game finishing 1-1. Finally, Renato Sanches came on for the closing minutes of Bayern Munich’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Ajax in Amsterdam.
Portuguese Abroad Europa League Round-up: Olympiakos stun Milan
“It was a dreamy night,” said Olympiakos’ Portuguese manager Pedro Martins after watching his side score three second half goals to progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League at the expense of Italian heavyweights AC Milan in Athens.
The Greek giants came into the match needing to beat Milan to clinch second place in Group F behind Real Betis, who drew 0-0 at Dudelange with William Carvalho in midfield. The permutations were complicated, with Olympiakos having lost the return fixture 3-1 in Milan, meaning they had to win the aggregate head-to-head between the sides, or match the 3-1 scoreline in their favour and progress on goal difference.
On the hour mark both scenarios appeared a tough ask for Martins’ side as the match remained goalless. However, Olympiakos caught Milan sleeping with a quick corner take and Pape Cisse sent the home crowd wild with the opener. Less than ten minutes later Olympiakos reached the crucial two-goal advantage when a shot from Guilherme was sliced into his own net by Milan’s Cristian Zapata.
The Athens crowd erupted, but their joy was short-lived as only moments later Colombian defender Zapata atoned for his error by making it 2-1 – a scoreline that put Milan back in control. However, Olympiakos were soon awarded a penalty when Ignazio Abate held Vassilis Torosidis as a corner was being taken, and Konstantinos Fortounis stepped up to make it 3-1 and send the hosts through.
“We really believe in the team and we have proven our quality,” said Martins, who selected Daniel Podence and José Sá – his goalkeeper to whom he was grateful for making a smart save from Gonzalo Higuain when the game was set at 0-0 – in his startling line-up. “We have confidence in what we are doing. I see every day what we can do. I have always said we have potential.
“We started the competition (in qualification) against a Swiss team, then went on to get past an English team. We then knew we had to deal with two great teams in Betis and Milan. We had good matches in Spain and Italy but didn’t get what we deserve. We knew we could do this. We believed in our quality and we believe we can go even further with hard work.”
Quaresma sees red
There was huge disappointment for Besiktas on Thursday evening, with the Turkish side eliminated from the Europa League on home turf following a 1-0 defeat to Malmo in Istanbul. Besiktas, who only needed a point to ensure qualification from Group I, were beaten by a 51st-minute goal from Marcus Antonsson.
The home side’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of veteran Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma midway through the second half. With his team chasing the game, Quaresma was issued a straight red for a poorly-timed challenge on Franz Brorsson. Besiktas were also without Pepe, and they failed to find the equaliser needed and crash out of the competition with seven points.
Bruma’s Leipzig out; Sevilla progress
RB Leipzig were just minutes away from qualifying for the knockout phase, before a late goal from Rosenborg sent the Germans out of the competition. Leipzig led 1-0 at the Red Bull Arena, with Portuguese winger Bruma supplying the pass from which Brazilian Mattheus da Cunha fired home from the edge of the box, but a dramatic equaliser from the Norwegians on 86 minutes saw Scottish champions Celtic progress from Group B instead.
Five-time winners of the competition Sevilla went through in Group J after Daniel Carriço and André Silva took part in their 3-0 home win over Krasnodar. The Russians join Sevilla in the next round, as Standard Liege – with Orlando Sá in attack – could only manage a 0-0 draw in Turkey against Akhisarspor, who fielded Josué and Hélder Barbosa.
Zenit Saint Petersburg had already won Group C but Portuguese defender Neto took his place in the team as the Russians lost 2-0 at runners-up Slavia Prague. PAOK Salonika are out after a 3-1 home defeat to BATE, during which Vieirinha was subbed at half time, while suspended Daniel Candeias watched his Rangers were eliminated with a 1-0 loss at Rapid Vienna and Rolando remained on the bench as Marseille’s miserable campaign ended in a desperate 3-1 home reverse to Apollon of Cyprus.
By Tom Kundert & Sean Gillen
