Liverpool have history on their side ahead of Porto Champions League clash

Alex Broun 16:02 13/02/2018
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  • Kenny Dalglish finds the back of the net during the 1977/78 campaign.

    Omens are good for Liverpool as they face Porto in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 encounter at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday night.

    Liverpool have played Portuguese opponents ten times in European competition, starting way back with Vitoria Setubal in the 1969/70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and going right up to S C Braga in the 2010/11 Europa League.

    In the eight times the Reds have played Portuguese teams in the knockout stage Liverpool have gone through five times.

    Their most regular opponent is Benfica who the Merseysiders have met five times in the knockout stages, going through on all but one occasion.

    As for their opponent on Wednesday night, Porto, they have faced the Blue and Whites in two separate European competitions with the Reds coming out on top on both occasions – the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup in 2000/01 and the Group Stages of the Champions League in 2007/08.

    Indeed, in four matches against Porto in Europe – Liverpool have never lost.

    And in another good omen – of the eight times Liverpool have won European tournaments (European Cup/Champions League and UEFA Cup/Europa League) they have beaten Portuguese opponents in the knockout stages en-route in three instances.

    Here’s the full rundown of Liverpool’s record re Portuguese opponents in European competition:

    v Vitoria Setubal, Round of 16, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, 1969-70

    This competition ran from 1955 to 1971 with, as the name suggests, the aim being to promote international trade fairs.

    Liverpool traveled to Setubal for the first leg on November 12th, 1969, losing 1-0.

    In the second leg at Anfield, Setubal raced out to a 2-0 lead (3-0 on aggregate) after 56 minutes but the Reds came roaring back with goals from Tommy Smith, Roy Evans and Roger Hunt.

    However, it wasn’t enough with Vitoria going through to the last eight on away goals.

    v Benfica, Quarter-Finals, European Cup, 1977/78

    A comfortable win for Liverpool on the way to their second consecutive European crown.

    The Reds won the first leg in Lisbon 2-1 through goals from Jimmy Case and Emlyn Hughes and then ran riot 4-1 in the return leg with Ian Callaghan, Kenny Dalglish, Terry McDermott and Phil Neal all finding the back of the net.

    The Reds went on to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-2 on aggregate in the semi-final before defeating Club Brugge 1-0 in the final at Wembley, with Dalglish scoring the winner.

    v Benfica, Quarter-Finals, European Cup, 1983/84

    Another quarter-final against Benfica and another comfortable victory on the way to Liverpool’s fourth European crown in just eight seasons.

    Liverpool won the first leg narrowly at Anfield after a 67th minute goal by Ian Rush and there might have been a few nerves heading to Lisbon for the return leg.

    But, they eased to a 4-1 success at the Estadio da Luz thanks to a brace from Ronnie Whelan, one from Craig Johnston and another Rush effort.

    Playing Portuguese opponents in the quarters was another good omen for the Reds as they breezed past Dinamo Bucuresti in the semi-finals before edging past Roma on penalties in Rome in the decider.

    v Benfica, Round of 16, European Cup, 1984/85

    By this time Benfica were getting sick and tired of playing Liverpool in the European Cup.

    Again the two sides clashed, this time in the Round of 16, and again Liverpool progressed.

    Rush scored a hat-trick in the first leg as the Reds won 3-1 and although they lost the return leg 1-0 it was still enough for the Reds to reach the quarter-finals for the fifth year in a row.

    This time the Reds were not able to go on and win the Cup, losing 1-0 to Juventus in the final in Brussels.

    v Porto, Quarter-Final, UEFA Cup, 2000/01

    The first time Liverpool and Porto met in European competition and another good omen for the Reds as they again went on to win the tournament.

    The first leg in Lisbon ended 0-0 but goals from Danny Murphy and Michael Owen in the return saw Liverpool through.

    The Reds then edged Barcelona in the semi-final before winning a thrilling final 5-4 after extra time against Alaves in Dortmund.

    Michael Owen scored against Boavista in 2001

    Michael Owen scored against Boavista in 2001.

    v Boavista, Group Stages, Champions League, 2001/02

    The Reds recorded a pair of 1-1 draws against The Chequered Ones in Group B with Owen scoring at Anfield and Murphy at the Estadio de Bessa in Porto.

    Unfortunately, this time, it was not a good omen as Liverpool went out in the last eight to Bayer Leverkusen.

    v Benfica, Quarter-Final, Champions League, 2005/06

    Benfica’s revenge. After three previous failed attempts finally Lisbon’s finest made it past Liverpool in the knockout stages.

    After losing the away leg of the quarter final 1-0 hopes were high for another Anfield revival but this time it was not to be with Benfica winning the second leg 2-0 thanks to goals to Simao Sabrosa and Fabrizio Miccoli.

    And Liverpool’s hopes of back-to-back Champions League titles were at an end.

    v Porto, Group Stage, Champions League, 2007/08

    The second time Liverpool met Porto in Europe and again the Reds came out on top.

    The Reds earned a 1-1 draw in Porto on Match Day 1 with Dirk Kuyt the scorer.

    Needing a win in the return leg Liverpool ran riot with a double to Fernando Torres and one each to Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard getting them home 4-1.

    It was another good omen as the Reds went all the way to the semi-finals before losing in extra-time to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

    v Benfica, Quarter-Final, Europa League, 2009/10

    The fifth time Liverpool have met this particular Portuguese opponent in Europe, and the fourth victory for the Reds.

    Benfica edged the first leg at home 2-1 with Daniel Agger scoring for the Reds but once again Liverpool ran riot at home in the second leg with a double from Torres, a single to Kuyt and a rare strike to Lucas Leiva seeing the Reds triumph 4-1 (5-2 overall).

    It didn’t help the Reds this year however as they went out in the semis to Atletico Madrid on away goals.

    Andy Carroll heads the ball against Braga.

    Andy Carroll heads the ball against Braga.

    v Braga, Round of 16, Europa League, 2010/11

    The most recent time Liverpool have met Portuguese opponents in Europe and worryingly for the Reds, another loss.

    Braga won the first leg at home 1-0 thanks to an 18th minute penalty from Alan and this time there wasn’t to be any Anfield heroics with the second leg ending 0-0.

    Braga went on to reach the final after triumphing on away goals in both the quarter-final and semi-final but then lost the final 1-0 to Porto in an all Portuguese decider.

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