Porto vs Shakhtar: preview

12-09-11 17:52:42

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On Tuesday, September 13, Shakhtar Donetsk embark on the 2011-12 Champions League campaign with an away game against Porto.

September 13, Porto, Dragao, 21:45

Refereeing

Referee - Felix Brych (Germany) 
Linesmen - Thorsten Shiffner, Mark Borsch (Germany)
Fourth referee - Gunter Perl (Germany)
Fifth and sixth officials - Peter Zippel, Christian Dingert (Germany)

Personnel

Porto’s Sapuranu will miss the game due to injury. Alex Sandro and Alvaro Pereira are also unlikely to feature in tomorrow’s game. Rolando and Guarin are suspended.

Shakhtar’s Dmytro Chygrynskyy and Razvan Rat recovered from injuries. Both players took part in the Pitmen’s last game in the Ukrainian Premier League vs Volyn. Kucher and Shevchuk have also travelled to Portugal after some problems following international break.

Suspended: Porto’s Guarin and Rolando

Quotes

Shakhtar’s head coach Mircea Lucescu:

- All the teams competing in the Champions League are eager to show their best. Porto are considered as the formal favourites in our group due to their being a top seed. I know this team very well. I saw them play vs Braga in the Europa League final and I am sure that playing potential wise, Porto are not superior to Shakhtar. Besides Hulk, there are also other great players at Porto. Therefore, we are not only focused on nullifying Hulk. What concerns us most is centre of the pitch, because all the attacks are initiated from there. This is what we will pay special attention to. At the moment, it is important for us to perform well in a match against a strong club. I do not think that the absence of Rolando and Guarin would be a problem for Porto as all their players are very good. Tomorrow, we will see a match between two strong teams rather than individual players’ battle.

Shakhtar’s captain Darijo Srna:

- Vitor Pereira is an experienced coach, who worked with Villas-Boas. He knows the club system. The team are good and very strong. Their winning the Europa League did not come as a surprise. They put on a decent performance in the match for the UEFA Super Cup against Barcelona. So, it will be a very tough game. Porto have both strengths and weaknesses that we must exploit. They played only a few matches without Villas-Boas. The only key player, who left the team, was Falcao. They are still playing the same way because Pereira was Villas-Boas’ assistant coach. Tuesday’s game will be a difficult as well as fascinating match.

Shakhtar’s midfielder Willian:

- I think that it will be an exciting game. Porto display good teamwork and comprise individually strong players. They are well organized, but I would single out their attack. After Falcao’s departure, Hulk became their leader. He is a top-class player. The first game sets the tone for following matches, and therefore, it is very important.

Shakhtar’s midfielder Dentinho:

- The Champions League is a top-level tournament. There are no easy games in this competition. Any team must be well-prepared to successfully compete in the Champions League.

Porto’s head coach Vitor Pereira:

- Shakhtar are a very strong side, they lifted the UEFA Cup in 2009, and in the Super Cup match against FC Barcelona the Pitmen made it into the added time. As far as their players are concerned, all of them are individually strong and well prepared. And I’m sure that we are facing a tough encounter, however we are fully geared for it. Our side comprise fully fit and ready footballers. We have already thought out different options for tomorrow, we are ready to handle it.

Porto’s midfielder James Rodriguez:

- I reckon that all the players are equally strong. Shakhtar and Porto are the strong teams of similar level. Falcao is an excellent player, and I am inspired by his performance. I just want to play, to score and do my best.

Last meeting of the teams: 

Cup Winners' Cup. Last 8. Return Leg
March 21, 1984. Donetsk. Shakhtar stadium. Att:40 000

Shakhtar (Donetsk, Ukraine) vs Porto (Portugal) - 1:1 (0:0)
Goals: 1:0 Grachev (63), 1-1 Walsh (72)

Shakhtar: Elinskas, Varnavskyy, Goshkoderya, Radenko, Parkhomenko, Rudakov (Petrov 58), Kravchenko, Yashchenko, Sokolovskyy, Yurchenko (Pokidin, 82), Grachyov
Head coach: Victor Nosov

Porto: Ze Beta, Joao Pinto, Luis, Lima Pareyra, Eurico, Rodolphe (Walsh 66), Jaime Magalyaesh, Souza, F. Gomes (LI 89), Jaime Pacheco, Vermelino
Coach: Jose Maria Pedrotu

Referee: Verer (Austria)

Matches between the two teams: 

Total: 2
Won by Shakhtar: 0
Draws: 1
Won by Porto: 1
Goal difference: 3-4


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