FC Basel vs FC Porto - Competition: UEFA Champions League
We have said that multiple Swiss champions are on paper valid for a
total outsider for placement in the next round of the Champions League,
but also they should by no means be underestimated since they managed to
eliminate Liverpool in the group stage. Namely, this draw at Anfield in
the last round meant that Basel will together with Real Madrid pass in
the next round from that group, while they previously won more points at
home where they celebrated against the Reds and the Bulgarian
Ludogorets.
In addition they were still defeated twice by Real
Madrid and away at Ludogorets, which only speaks that now against Porto,
they will primarily look for their chance at home, because they
themselves are aware that they have a tough rematch in the far west of
Europe. Otherwise, the team of Basel has in the domestic league taken
the leading position so they are on that side completely liberated, but
coach Paulo Sousa is quite worried about the fact that he will be
deprived of services of even three defenders against his great rival
from playing days, because defender John and defender Traore are
injured, while defender Schara is suspended.
As for the guests from Portugal, they have certainly been the
luckiest team after the draw in the knockout stage of the Champions
League, because they got the worst-ranked opponent from the second hat
and they therefore have the role of big favourites in this duel. But to
justify this on the ground, they should not underestimate the Swiss
champions, so we already in the first match in Basel expect them to play
very seriously, just as was the case in the group stage where they
recorded four victories and only two draws.
In addition, in recent
times they have improved their form in the domestic championship, where
they after three consecutive victories approached the leading Benfica
to just four points and they sure have every right to hope that they can
in the rest of the season get to the title of champions. Otherwise, we
should also mention that they in the last three matches have not
received a single goal, while they scored eight, so their coach
Lopetegui has absolutely no reason to change anything in the starting
line-up of Porto for this duel in the Champions League, especially
because at the moment he can count on all of his best players.
Probable lineups:
FC Porto: Fabiano – Danilo, Maicon, Marcano, Alex Sandro – Torres, Casemiro, Herrera – Quaresma, Martinez, Brahimi.
Basel: Vaclik – Xhaka, Samuel, Suchy, Safari – Elneny – Gonzalez, Frei, Zuffi, Gashi – Streller.
Match date: Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Kick Off Time: 19:45 GMT
Venue: St Jakob Park, Basel, Switzerland
