Preview: LOSC v Porto
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Article summary
LOSC Lille coach René Girard termed FC Porto "one of the greats of Europe" ahead of their play-off tie, with Julen Lopetegui playing down his side's favourites' tag.
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Article body
• LOSC coach René Girard: "Porto one of the greats of Europe"
• LOSC are unbeaten in their first four games this season, winning two and drawing two
• The Ligue 1 side beat Grasshoppers of Switzerland in the third qualifying round
• Porto coach Julen Lopetegui insists his team are "not favourites for this tie"
• Porto won their opening Liga game of 2014/15 at the weekend
Possible lineups
LOSC: Enyeama; Corchia, Kjær, Baša, Béria; Balmont, Gueye, Mavuba, Delaplace; Roux, Kalou.
• Out: Marvin Martin
Porto: Fabiano; Danilo, Maicon, Martins Indi, Sandro; Torres, Neves, Herrera; Quaresma, Martínez, Brahimi.
• Doubtful: Juan Quintero, Alex Sandro
René Girard, LOSC coach
Away goals are always very important, so we'll do our best to concede as few as possible because this is a quality opponent. I think Porto deserve to be considered one of the top teams in Europe and though their squad changes a lot year to year, they are great at unearthing young talent.
This match should be more open than our previous ones as there may be a bit more space left by Porto. Our qualification from the previous round was important, ensuring we'd be playing European football this season. The Champions League is something big for us, but I wouldn't say it is too big for us. We don't have any additional pressure to qualify, though of course it would be great for both the club and the boys.
We're going to respect this team while showing them we're here. They have a wealth of experience at European level, but I also think Lille are a team who deserve respect in Europe. One of the keys for us will be to respect them without fearing them in the slightest. I'm not putting additional pressure on Porto by telling they're one of the greats of Europe – it's a fact.
Julen Lopetegui, Porto coach
We are not favourites for this tie. We'll be facing a good Lille team who have had good preparation and already played a few games this season. There is no player who is certain to start as there is a great deal of competition in our squad, which is a good thing. There won't be one decisive factor surrounding tomorrow's match, but multiple ones. The important thing for me is that we need to be at the top of our game, both as individuals and as a team.
I prefer not to think about what surrounds this match, the return leg nor the potential consequences. I prefer to focus only on the game because we're coming up against a very good team. They play good football and René Girard has done a great job at the helm these past two years. They have talent both in attack and in defence. I have no fear of Lille, but I do have preoccupations. We need to respect them but we do not have any fear.
Weekend results
SM Caen 0-1 LOSC(Origi 69pen)
Porto 2-0 CS Marítimo(Rúben Neves 11, Jackson Martínez 90+4)
Form guide (all competitions – this season only)
LOSC: WDDW
Porto: W
Match facts
• Which LOSC player 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"? Find out in our extensive match background.