LOSC v Porto background
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Article summary
LOSC Lille must break a poor recent run of form against Portuguese opponents as they meet FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League play-off round.
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Article body
LOSC Lille are battling to earn a sixth campaign in the UEFA Champions League proper as they take on two-time European champions FC Porto in this season's play-offs.
Previous meetings
• none
Form guide
• LOSC's record in six games against Portuguese opposition is W1 D2 L3 (W0 D2 L1 at home – W1 D0 L2 in Portugal). They are without a win in their four most recent fixtures against Liga teams (D1 L3).
• Porto's 25 matches against French opponents have ended W12 D7 L6 (W9 D2 L1 at home – W2 D5 L5 in France). Most notably, José Mourinho's side beat AS Monaco FC 3-0 in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League decider.
• LOSC are without a victory in four European home fixtures (D1 L3) since eliminating FC København in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League play-offs.
• Porto are winless in five European away games (D3 L2) since a 1-0 success at FK Austria Wien in their 2013/14 UEFA Champions League group stage opener.
• Porto have featured in the UEFA Champions League group stage 18 times; LOSC have done so five times.
Links and trivia
• LOSC midfielder Rio Mavuba can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance against Porto.
• Should they advance to the group stage, Porto's matchday one fixture would be their 200th in Europe's top club tournament.
• LOSC attacker Ryan Mendes – born in Cape Verde – came out as a Porto fan after the play-off draw, saying: "This is the first time I will not be cheering for FC Porto. I admit, they are the club I have supported since I was a child."
• LOSC midfielder Marcos Lopes was team-mates with Rafa, Tomás Podstawski, Francisco Ramos, André Silva and Ivo Rodrigues at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Hungary in July. Portugal lost in the final to Germany.