Porto, Sevilla to get job done
– While Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund grapple for top spot in Group F, twice former winners Porto and Sevilla look to clinch the two remaining spots in the Champions League last-16 tonight.
Porto host Leicester City in their final group stage match wary of FC Copenhagen pipping them to second in Group G.
Despite a woeful defence of their Premier League crown, Leicester are guaranteed to finish top of their section.
And the Foxes could well decide which team joins them in the knockout phase with Copenhagen, third in the group, trailing Porto by two points ahead of a trip to pointless Club Brugge.
Porto halted a run of five draws courtesy of teenager Rui Pedro’s 95th-minute winner over Braga at the weekend, ending a run of 520 minutes without a goal.
“We won three points and we are going to try to take advantage of this,” said Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo (above).
“I believe the results haven’t been showing what we do.”
Porto will secure their passage with victory over Leicester, but anything less will open the door for Copenhagen, who have a headto-head advantage over the Portuguese on away goals.
Three-time reigning Europa League champions Sevilla are favourites to advance alongside Juventus in Group H, with Lyon needing to beat the Spaniards by at least two goals at Parc OL.
Lyon’s preparations were overshadowed by the ugly scenes that prompted Saturday’s game at Metz to be called off after just 31 minutes with goalkeeper Anthony Lopes targeted by firecrackers.
Sevilla’s troubles away from home resurfaced in a 2-1 defeat at Granada over the weekend.
Sevilla may welcome back Samir Nasri from injury, while Juventus, a point clear at the top, will be expected to cement first place with group makeweights Dinamo Zagreb rounding out their fruitless campaign in Turin.
Bayer Leverkusen, confirmed as runners-up of Group E, host table-topping Monaco, while Tottenham Hotspur must avoid defeat to CSKA Moscow at Wembley to parachute into the Europa League. – AFP
We won three points and we are going to try to take advantage of this. Nuno Espirito Santo Porto coach