Golden boys gather in Braga
Monday, January 22, 2007
Article summary
Two of the stars of Portugal's 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup-winning 'Golden Generation' will be reunited as SC Braga take on Parma FC in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.
Article body
Two of the stars of Portugal's 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup-winning 'Golden Generation' will be reunited as SC Braga take on Parma FC in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.
• Braga qualified for this stage as the third-placed side in UEFA Cup Group C. Parma finished top of Group D.
• The two sides have never met in European competition.
• Braga met Italian opponents for the first time in the first round of this season's UEFA Cup, winning 3-2 on aggregate (2-0 at home, 1-2 away) against AC Chievo Verona to reach the group stage.
• Parma have been drawn against Portuguese opponents on three previous occasions in UEFA competition. Their record for individual games against Portuguese sides reads won three, drawn one, lost two.
• Parma beat Braga's Liga rivals Boavista FC 2-0 on aggregate in the second round of the 1992/93 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup en route to winning the competition. Goalkeeper Luca Bucci is the only current Parma player to have featured in that game, playing in both legs.
• Braga can take comfort from the fact that Parma were knocked out of the first round of the 1996/97 UEFA Cup by their most fierce local rivals Vitória SC. The Italian side won 2-1 at home but lost 2-0 in Guimaraes.
• Braga forward João Pinto will be reunited with Parma defender Fernando Couto - 18 years after both helped Portugal to win the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
• The second leg of the tie will be played on 22 February. The winners will face Tottenham Hotspur FC in the Round of 16, playing the home leg first on 8 March before the away second leg a week later.