Fonseca puts his faith in Porto away to Atlético
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Article summary
FC Porto's Paulo Fonseca is "certain we can win" as the Portuguese side seek the victory they need at a Club Atlético de Madrid team who have the luxury of resting players.
Article top media content
Article body
Club Atlético de Madrid have been formidable this season and have Group G sewn up already, but if FC Porto coach Paulo Fonseca is fearful he did not show it as he declared himself "certain we can win". And win they must.
Porto need to pick up three points and hope FC Zenit fail to do likewise at FK Austria Wien if they are to snatch a UEFA Champions League round of 16 place from the Russian team's grasp. Ultimately, the Portuguese title holders' home form has let them down and though Fonseca points out that they have travelled well, Diego Simeone warns that his experimental Atlético side can still pose real problems.
Atlético
Diego Simeone, coach
The UEFA Champions League is a great competition and more competitive than the Liga. There have been many different champions in recent years and it's not boring.
Porto and Zenit were favourites for this group at the start of the season because of their experience. Our victories against Porto [away] and Zenit [at home] were very important. Jackson Martínez is a great player who continues growing season by season, but I'm content with my own forwards.
Óliver [Torres] and [Javi] Manquillo are in a maturing stage. They are going to be very important players for this team. The future is great but the present is very important and we want them to keep developing. I expect more from Óliver because he could give us more than he is giving now.
Weekend result
Saturday: UE Sant Andreu 0-4 Atlético (Raúl Garcia 13, Arda 20 56, Villa 84)
Aranzubia; Manquillo, Alderweireld, Godín, Felipe Luis; Tiago; Koke, Raúl Garcia (Diego Costa 70), Torres (Villa 63), Arda (Guilavogui 78); Adrián.
• Goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia made his Atlético debut as the holders began their Copa del Rey defence with a comfortable win at third-division Sant Andreu in the first leg of their round of 32 tie.
Team news
Aranzubia, 34, is set for his first UEFA Champions League appearance as Thibaut Courtois has a thigh strain. Juanfran serves a one-game ban while Mario Suárez is out with a knee injury. Cristian Rodríguez and Josuha Guilavogui are carrying knocks and could be rested along with Miranda and Diego Godín.
Porto
Paulo Fonseca, coach
Atlético were powerful when they played in Porto and now, two months on, they are even stronger. They are having a very good season, suffering just one loss and one draw in the Liga, but we come here only with the aim of winning because there is no other option.
We didn't win any of our home matches and although we have done well on our travels, that was not the aim at the beginning of the season. Hector Herrera and Diego Reyes are still getting to grips with European football. I'm sure they will get there.
We expect to win but we must retain our shape throughout the match. I'm certain we can win and we will see what happens with Zenit's match – we can't do anything about that.
Weekend result
Saturday: Porto 2-0 SC Braga (Martínez 48 80)
Helton; Danilo, Maicon, Mangala, Alex Sandro; Defour, Herrera, Lucho (Carlos Eduardo 46); Varela (Kelvin 90), Josué (Licá 72), Martínez.
• Porto bounced back from their first domestic defeat of the campaign – and the end of their 53-match unbeaten run in the Liga – against Braga. Jackson Martínez has struck in 12 of Porto's 19 fixtures in all competitions this term, 13 goals in all.
Team news
Lucho González faces a late fitness test on an adductor problem picked up on Saturday. Nabil Ghilas has not featured since returning from international duty with a muscle problem but was an unused substitute versus Braga.
Match fact
• Fonseca's men are unbeaten away from home in Group G, having won 1-0 at Austria Wien and drawn 1-1 at Zenit. Atlético, however, have won nine of ten European home games under Simeone, including Group G victories over Zenit (3-1) and Austria (4-0).