In the season that marks exactly two decades since FC Porto last lifted the Champions League trophy, the “dragons” once again managed to secure qualification for the round of 16 of the competition, after a triumph against against Shakhtar Donetsk 5-3. It is the 14th time in the last 20 years that the Porto players are among the 16 best teams in Europe, a record equaled, with a few exceptions, by the clubs known as “sharks”.
In the seven seasons with Sérgio Conceição at the helm of the “dragons”, there have already been five passages to the “eighth”, with two appearances in the quarter-finals. Liverpool and Chelsea were the “executioners” of the Porto fans on those occasions and would become European champions in those same editions. The 2018-19 campaign was the most dominant to date in the Sérgio Conceição era at Dragão, with a place in first place in the respective group and an overall balance of six wins, one draw and three defeats in the ten games played by the Porto players.
Questioned by PÚBLICO after the match, Sérgio Conceição was satisfied with the club’s record in the competition, considering it increasingly difficult to fight against the main clubs in the main championships.
“I am very pleased with the history of my club. It’s a lot of work, you know that not being part of a championship where there is a lot of financial capacity, it becomes even more difficult. I emphasized this in the preview I made for the game, this décalage is getting bigger and bigger, let’s be competent, honor history in our attitude, work, preparation for the games and understand what happens. This is a very difficult competition and we are aware of that”, said the coach.
This season, the “dragons” were present in the Champions League for the 26th time, following, alongside Bayern Munich, in third place on the list of clubs with the highest number of participations. Barcelona and Real Madrid, both with 27 trips to the Champions League, lead this ranking. The “dragons” only missed the 1994-95, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2010-11 and 2019-20 editions.
Progress to the round of 16 also brings a bonus of 9.6 million euros to Porto’s coffers, in addition to 2.8 million euros from the game against Shakhtar Donetsk this Wednesday. To this amount it is also necessary to add the 15.64 million euros received for their presence in the group stage and 26.06 million for the fact that the Porto players finished, last season, in 10th place in the ranking of European clubs out of ten years. The remaining three victories in the group stage were worth an additional €8.4 million.
2023-12-13 22:15:21
#years #Porto #reached #eighth #Champions #League #times
