They look good. A goal down, and to go AWAY from home, and play with such intensity, shows how good this team are. Not amazing, but good enough to put up more than a fight than those clowns called Schalke. As long as they finish off Basel in the second leg, this WON'T be an easy match for anyone in the quarters.
The only real star in this team you could say is Quaresma, but even without him for about sixty minutes, FC Porto looked really good. High risk, playing on the edge, but there is a lot of skill in this team with individuals who have been given a license to express themselves on the ball.
Tello really impressed me and looked so much better than the bit-tiki-player he was at Barcelona. Every time he had the ball, there were so many ideas he had on the ball and that is what I love to see. My winger can't just run down the wing and cross, but they need to have more to their game. A multitude of ways to beat your defender is what I look for. Robben being the only attacking winger who possess that ability to drift past his man.
But it's the energy of the team and just how RESOLUTE they look. There's physicality, fitness, flair, footballing flow and a willingness and confidence to go forward. And even though Jackson Martinez is not the finest of strikers, he is a good enough frontman to cause some trouble with whatever central defenders are about there.
Not saying FC Porto will win the Champions League, but IF I am to make a case for them to go far, then they will need that one guy to rise up. All eyes are on the slightly pot-bellied stature of Quaresma who many believe wasted his career and talents. If EVER there was a time to prove doubters wrong, then this can be his stage. Finally in a team where he can call home and is appreciated, all he needs is that belief. The dude has INCREDIBLE ability, and if given the opportunity, he can score the craziest goal that you have ever seen. But he needs to show it.
Nobody is talking about Porto which is great for them. If they can sort out Basel in Portugal, they can use this underdog tag, not overthink, and just play their brand of football and REALLY go at WHOEVER is thrown at them. In a game of football, if you apply yourself well in both mind and body, you can WIN that match. Porto have the quality to beat any team...it's just a question of whether they can play their perfect games, which they will have to.
HH
