Porto aim high against Artmedia

The 2003/04 UEFA Champions League winners FC Porto, kicked off their Group H campaign with a 3-2 defeat at Rangers FC, and will be keen to make home advantage count in their game with outsiders FC Artmedia Bratislava. The Slovakian champions lost their opening match by a single goal to FC Internazionale Milano, and are looking to their stirring performances in the qualifying stage to rekindle their ambitions.

Porto against Bratislava clubs: While the Champions League is a new experience for Artmedia, Porto now face their third club from Bratislava, with the first tie being one they would still like to forget.

In the 1959/60 European Champion Clubs' Cup, Porto were drawn against TJ Cervená hviezda Bratislava, now better known as AŠK Inter Bratislava, in the preliminary round. Then part of the former Czechoslovakia, Bratislava took a narrow 2-1 home win from the first leg when a late goal from Adolf Scherer decided the match.

But, in the return, Porto were beaten again with second-half goals from Ladislav Kacani and Milan Dolinsky turning the tie into a 4-1 aggregate win. Rangers defeated the Czechoslovakian team in the next round.

Porto then came up against Slovan Bratislava CHZJD, now ŠK Slovan Bratislava, in the second round of the 1968/69 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. At home, Porto won 1-0 with a goal from João Custodio Pinto, but the return leg at the Tehelné Pole stadium proved a disaster for the Portuguese side. Two goals from Karol Jokl, and one each from Ján and Jozef Capkovic wiped out the arrears, and propelled Slovan through towards the final, where, in case anyone had not noticed them before, Slovan beat FC Barcelona 3-2 in Basle.

Porto's home run: Porto are unbeaten in their last nine home games in the competition and have conceded just four goals in that spell.

Artmedia's goal drought: Artmedia will look to improve their strike rate against Porto. Since their memorable 5-0 defeat of Celtic FC in the first leg of the second qualifying round, they have failed to find the net in their last four games in the competition, against Celtic in the return leg; in both games against FK Partizan in the third qualifying round, and against Inter in the first group game.

Artmedia's debut: The first season in UEFA competitions for Artmedia was the 2001/02 UEFA Intertoto Cup when they were beaten in the second round 6-1 on aggregate by NK Publikum of Slovenia.

MILESTONES 

Porto's record: Porto, along with Manchester United FC are taking part in a record eleventh Champions League. The two clubs have missed three seasons; the last for Porto was in 2002/03.

Pioneering Porto: Porto were one of the eight pioneering clubs who took part in the first Champions League group stage when it kicked off in November 1992. They began with a 2-2 draw at home to PSV Eindhoven on 25 November 1992. The eight clubs to take part in the inaugural season were Olympique de Marseille, Rangers FC, Club Brugge KV and PFC CSKA Moskva in Group A, whilst AC Milan, IFK Göteborg, Porto and PSV Eindhoven all contested Group B.

Mixed form: Since their run to the 2004 title, Porto have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the competition. The Portuguese have since played nine, with two wins, three draws and four defeats.

Home record: Last season's four home games for Porto produced a win and three draws, the Portuguese side scoring three goals and conceding two in the process. The overall tally is therefore five goals in Porto's last four home games.

First time: Artmedia play their first away game in the Champions League.

Artmedia's away record: The Slovakian champions did not score away from home in the three qualifying rounds. They lost 2-0 in the first qualifying round first leg at FC Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on 12 July, then lost the return match at Celtic 4-0 in the next round. Finally, they drew 0-0 in the away leg of the third qualifying round match at FK Partizan, although they did prevail on penalties.

First title: Artmedia qualified for the event by winning their domestic championship for the first time in 105 years.