København v Porto: line-ups, where to watch, form guide
Monday, November 21, 2016
Article summary
København may have lost only one of their last 30 games, but coach Ståle Solbakken feels his side have their work cut out against a Porto team eyeing round of 16 qualification.
Article top media content
Article body
- København coach Solbakken on task ahead: "Miracles can happen!"
- Porto reach round of 16 with victory; FCK leapfrog visitors into second if they win
- FCK have lost just one of last 30 matches in all competitions
- Porto eight games unbeaten (in regulation time) since matchday two loss at Leicester
- Porto's Espírito Santo says there is more to FCK than injured strikers Cornelius and Santander
Possible line-ups
København: Olsen; Ankersen, Johansson, Jørgensen, Augustinsson; Kvist; Falk, Delaney, Verbič, Toutouh; Pavlović.
Out: Cornelius (hamstring), Santander (thigh)
Misses next match if booked: Jørgensen
Porto: Casillas; Maxi Pereira, Felipe, Marcano, Alex Telles; Herrera, Danilo, Otávio, Óliver Torres; André Silva, Diogo Jota.
Out: Layún (tendinitis), Rúben Neves (right knee)
Misses next match if booked: Felipe
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here
Ståle Solbakken, København coach
It's never a bad result to draw with Porto. We'll try to win, but I think Porto will come with the goal of topping the group. I'm certain they will try to go for the win. With Cornelius and Santander out, perhaps we have to play faster with more combinations in and around their box.
These players can do it if they're at their very best, but it could also be very difficult for us to create chances. We need to be faster, quicker and sharper around the box with our small players. Miracles can happen!
Nuno Espírito Santo, Porto coach
Cornelius and Santander are two important players, always first-choice, and they are integral to their style of play. But we respect København, they're not just about those two.
They have a good team, they've shown us that before, even if you cannot hide the fact they'll be missing two important players. We'll have to see what their coach does. He has Pavlović, and another option, but it's more important to focus on ourselves.
Weekend results
AaB 1-2 København (Børsting 45+1; Delaney 4, Falk 42)
FCK have now lost only one of their last 30 fixtures in all competitions while Thomas Delaney scored a career-best sixth Super League goal of the season.
Chaves 0-0 Porto (Chaves win 3-2 on pens)
Porto were beaten on penalties in last term's Portuguese Cup final and fell the same way in the last 32 this time, with Miguel Layún, Laurent Depoitre and André Silva all failing in the shoot-out.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
København: WWDWWW
Porto: DDWDWW
Reporter's view: Ian Holyman (@UEFAcomIanH)
There was a certain lack of conviction from Solbakken in his pre-match press conference over how well his team would adapt to the change in style required in the absence of strikers Andreas Cornelius and Federico Santander.
The onus will be on others – namely Thomas Delaney, Benjamin Verbič and Rasmus Falk – to provide a goal threat from midfield, and on Andrija Pavlović to lead the line. Given the limited time they have had to prepare, however, the question as to whether they can will only be answered on Tuesday.
Did you know?
This is Porto's first visit to Denmark since a 2-2 draw at Aalborg BK in the 1995/96 UEFA Champions League group stage, in which Emerson scored twice. Read more in our extensive match background.