Cape Argus

Porto FC: Makers of stars

Champions League opponents have given us the likes of Falcao, Hulk, Rodriguez and Shaqiri

- Brian Homewood

BASEL’S Champions League tie against Porto today features two clubs who have mastered the art of nurturing the talent of little-known footballer­s and selling them on to Europe’s top teams. Unable to compete with the financial power of the biggest clubs, both have instead been happy to accept a role as steppingst­ones for players hoping to make their way to one of the leading five leagues.

Both have been highly successful at what they do and have managed to remain competitiv­e despite allowing a succession of top footballer­s to walk through the exit door.

Twice European champions Porto have raked in more than half a billion euros from selling players, many of them bought for a pittance from South American clubs, in the last 10 years.

The likes of Radamel Falcao, Hulk, James Rodriguez, Raul Meireles, Pepe and Anderson all passed through the Dragao Stadium and Porto’s much-acclaimed youth academy before heading elsewhere.

However, they have managed to keep replenishi­ng their talent pool and now boast the likes of Colombia forward Jackson Martinez in attack and Algeria midfielder Yacine Brahimi in midfield.

Porto have won the Primeira Liga seven times in the last 10 seasons and reached the Champions League knockout stages five times.

Basel’s model is slightly different as they place more emphasis on generating revenue from ticket and hospitalit­y sales and regard income from transfers as a welcome extra.

Even so they have an impressive record and, in the last few years, have turned the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Yann Sommer into Bundesliga material and helped Egypt forward Mohamed Salah earn a move to the Premier League.

The club’s only disappoint­ment is that some of those, such as Shaqiri and Salah, left too early and failed to win regular places at their new clubs.

Like Porto, the continued departures have not prevented them from lifting titles.

They have won the Swiss league for the last five seasons and reached the Champions League last 16 on three occa- sions, an outstandin­g achievemen­t for a club from a small country.

Having qualified at the expense of Manchester United in 2011-12, Basel ousted Liverpool in the group stage this time around.

The Swiss side, in their first season under Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa, are attempt- ing to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1973-74 when they lost 6-5 on aggregate to Celtic.

Captain Marco Streller believes Basel’s inside knowledge could make a difference tonight.

“Half our training staff are Portuguese; they know Porto very well and we fully trust them,” he said. “Sousa’s role will be crucial. We trust him. If anyone knows Portuguese football well then it has to be him.

“It can be a real asset that Paulo and his staff know Porto like the back of their hand. We are playing attractive football that bears the signature of our coach and we’re all very happy about it.” – Reuters

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? YACINE BRAHIMI: Pulling the midfield strings for Porto
YACINE BRAHIMI: Pulling the midfield strings for Porto
 ??  ?? JAMES RODRIGUEZ: Moved from Porto to Real Madrid
JAMES RODRIGUEZ: Moved from Porto to Real Madrid
 ??  ?? JACKSON MARTINEZ: In-demand Porto striker
JACKSON MARTINEZ: In-demand Porto striker
 ??  ?? HULK: The Brazilian star made his name at FC Porto
HULK: The Brazilian star made his name at FC Porto

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