Chelsea Advances to UCL Semifinals with 2-1 Aggregate Win over Porto
Apr 13, 2021
SEVILLE, SPAIN - APRIL 13: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Christian Pulisic of Chelsea FC and Chancel Mbemba of FC Porto battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between Chelsea FC and FC Porto at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on April 13, 2021 in Seville, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Berengui/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Chelsea is one major step closer to capturing its second UEFA Champions League title in club history after knocking off FC Porto 2-1 on aggregate following Tuesday’s second leg.
The victory hands The Blues a berth in the semifinals with PSG, which defeated Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Now the UCL awaits the results of Wednesday’s second leg between Borussia Dortmund-Manchester City and Liverpool-Real Madrid to determine the final four remaining clubs.
Porto might have been able to stop Chelsea from advancing with a different tactic on Tuesday at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. The Portuguese club instead focused on shutting down any opportunities for Chelsea to add to its lead. That seemed fine with the Blues, who appeared more concerned with preserving the 2-0 lead they took on the road than trying to attack Porto’s defense.
That plan kept the match scoreless through 90 minutes before Porto broke through in the 93rd minute. Perhaps with another 90 minutes to play, Porto’s game plan allows the club to take down their opponent. Instead, it’s Chelsea moving on to the next round.
Porto Targets Pulisic
It became extremely clear early on Tuesday that Porto’s main goal was to ensure it didn’t get beat by Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic.
Any opportunity Porto had to crowd the midfielder, disrupt his passes or simply knock him down was quickly taken advantage of. In fact, Porto’s preoccupation with Pulisic became so apparent it’s worth wondering why the team didn't start pushing for a goal earlier in the match—especially as Chelsea’s offense posed little threat and Porto desperately needed two goals to stay alive in the tournament.
Pulisic would just have to take the attention in stride.
Christian Pulisic won ELEVEN fouls against FC Porto, the most recorded by a player in a single Champions League game in the past five seasons.
Christian Pulisic is playing like a seasoned #UCL calibre player tonight. That dribbling ability has taken so much pressure off Chelsea. Each time he is fouled, the Blues get space to breath and gather their thoughts, excellent. #CFC#UCL#CHEPOR
The result of Porto’s aggression was hard to miss. Chelsea drew 20 fouls, five yellow cards.
While Chelsea would remain scoreless on Tuesday, it was still enough to keep their Champions League season alive. Porto put just two shots on net—one resulted in a goal from reserve Medhi Taremi in the 93rd minute—as the Blues escaped with an aggregate victory.
Taremi Bicycle Kick Goal
Arguably the goal of the Champions League came in the 93rd minute on Tuesday in a game that was all but decided from a substitute who entered the pitch in the 63rd minute.
Yet none of that makes Taremi’s bicycle kick any less impressive.
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 13, 2021
Porto had gotten just seven shots off against Chelsea prior to the goal, and only one of them—a weak header from Taremi that keeper Edouard Mendy caught comfortably—reached the net. Mendy was just a minute away from his fifth consecutive UCL clean sheet after allowing just one goal all tournament and none since the knockout rounds began.
Taremi ended that streak in epic fashion, setting himself up just outside the six-yard box and launching a cross from Nanu over three Chelsea defenders and into the top corner of the net.
Porto hopes of repeating its unlikely Champions League title run from 2004 will have to wait another season, but Taremi's extraordinary goal should at least provide a consolation prize on the way out the door.
What’s Next
Chelsea await Wednesday’s UCL action to learn who it’ll face in the semifinal round. The Blues are guaranteed a high-profile matchup either way as they prepare to face the winner between Liverpool and Real Madrid
Porto's Moussa Marega Walks off Pitch vs. Vitoria Guimaraes over Racist Abuse
Feb 16, 2020
FC Porto's Malian forward Moussa Marega (C) reacts and attempts to leave the pitch after hearing racists chants as FC Porto's Brazilian defender Alex Telles tries to stop him during the Portuguese league football match between Vitoria Guimaraes SC and FC Porto at the Dom Alfonso Henriques stadium in Guimaraes on February 16, 2020. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images)
FC Porto forward Moussa Marega was reportedly the target of racist abuse after scoring the winner in a league match against Vitoria Guimaraes, telling the home fans to "go f--k" themselves in a social media post after the match.
Per BBC Sport and Portuguese football expert Thiago Estevao, team-mates and opponents tried to stop him from leaving the pitch when he decided he had enough(warning: strong language):
An alleged racist incident marred a Portuguese league match on Sunday as Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off midway through a match due to abuse from fans. pic.twitter.com/LAHLi8toi5
In an Instagram post (h/t Estevao), he took aim at those that abused him after the 2-1 win as well as the official who decided to book him during the incident:
Marega played for Vitoria on loan in the 2016-17 campaign.
Per BBC Sport, Marega started to make his way off the pitch after 69 minutes, giving the crowd a thumbs-down and raising his middle finger.
According to manager Sergio Conceicao, the abuse started before the opening whistle:
"We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate.
"We are completely indignant about what happened. I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think most of the fans do not see themselves in the same attitude of some people who have insulted Moussa since the warm-up."
Marega found the net after 60 minutes with the goal that would eventually prove the winner. During his celebrations, he repeatedly pointed at his arm:
He was booked during the celebrations and walked off minutes later.
The goal fired Porto to within a point of leaders Benfica, who lost to Braga on Saturday.
It's the latest in a long line of racial incidents that have plagued the sport as of late.
Earlier on Sunday, Derby County's Max Lowe called out pundit Craig Ramage for saying the team's "young black lads" need "pulling down a peg or two" during a BBC Derby podcast. PerJake Baconof TalkSport, the BBC edited out the comments, which led to even more backlash.
Per ABC News' Guy Davies, other examples include abuse toward Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger and Brescia's Mario Balotelli.
Porto's Fabio Silva: The 17-Year-Old '€125M Striker' Destined for Big Things
Dec 4, 2019
PORTO, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 27: Fabio Silva of FC Porto celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Liga Nos match berween FC Porto and FC Famalicao at Estadio do Dragao on October 27, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
A few weeks before the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo was unsurprisingly the main topic of conversation as pundits talked football on Portuguese news channel SIC Noticias.
While discussing his position on the pitch, Sporting CP legend Manuel Fernandes, who was working at the time as the club's scouting director, threw another name into the conversation out of the blue.
"When Ronaldo was 17, he played as a centre-forward for Sporting's youth teams. I saw him doing things that I'm now seeing a boy from FC Porto do, Fabio Silva. He will be a hell of a 'crack,'" Fernandes said.
"In a short time, he will be an extraordinary striker."
Watching at home was Jorge Silva, a former defender, who couldn't believe his 15-year-old son had just been compared to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Jorge rushed Fabio into the living room, rewound the show and asked him to listen to what Fernandes had said. Both of them were stunned.
It was the highest praise the 17-year-old had received, but the accolades have kept coming, and more people are learning his name all the time.
Some may have expected Fabio to get a bit cocky and lose track after such a public declaration, but the exact opposite has happened.
Surprisingly mature for his age, he was scintillating at U19 level last season. Despite facing much older players, Fabio scored 33 goals in 39 matches, leading Porto to the UEFA Youth League and Portugal's U19 Championship titles last term.
🔵⚪ FC Porto e Fábio Silva renovam até 2022 👉 16 anos ⚽ 39 jogos e 33 golos em 2018/19 (Sub-19) 🏆 Campeão Sub-19 2018/19 🏆 Vencedor UEFA Youth League 2018/19#FCPortopic.twitter.com/qTeIH7uO4H
This season, Fabio has been smashing one record after another since breaking into the first-team squad. Still only 17, the No. 49 has become Porto's youngest-ever starter and goalscorer in a competitive fixture, surpassing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, among others.
In total, he has already netted three times in just 362 minutes over 11 games with the senior side.
His rise has made him the poster child for a youth generation regarded at the Estadio do Dragao as their most promising for a long time. As well as Fabio, the likes of Romario Baro, Diogo Leite, Tomas Esteves and Diogo Costa have all had an increased role in the first-team squad this campaign.
Fabio was recently named Porto's breakout star of the year during the club's annual gala, but that was hardly the biggest announcement concerning him that night.
In his traditional speech, Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa delivered the news that fans had been waiting for: Fabio had agreed to a new deal.
It would later emerge that the fresh contract raised his buyout clause from €25 million to €125 million, making it the highest ever in Portuguese football.
Apart from scaring away Juventus, Atletico Madrid and other big guns who had been circling him, it has also beaten the previous Portuguese buyout record held by Joao Felix, Florentino Luis and Gedson Fernandes, who all had or have €120 million clauses at Benfica (Atletico actually agreed a €126 million fee for Joao Felix so they could pay in instalments).
"More than highlighting that Fabio might be different from other players, his new release clause represents something of a strategic change by Porto," Sergio Pires, a reporter for MaisFutebol who covers the Dragons, explains to Bleacher Report.
"In my opinion, there are two reasons behind it: Porto's financial situation getting worse this season [especially after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League during the qualifiers] and also their new crop of youngsters being, indeed, more talented than previous ones.
"But beyond all that, Fabio is something else too—you don't see a 17-year-old bursting into Porto's first-team squad every day. If you rewind a few years, you will struggle to find other cases like that. Ruben Neves stands out between them. Besides him, going back a bit further, we also have Sergio Oliveira [who is still at the club]."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIbzVvqt60A
Raising Fabio's clause to nine figures shows how truly special Porto think he is, but nudging the value above anything that can be found at Benfica is also significant.
After reading countless stories last season about how Porto had let Felix escape to their fierce rivals from Lisbon, Pinto da Costa needed to fight back.
And in Fabio, he found the perfect answer to all the criticism—because the teenage prodigy was once on the books of Benfica.
Fabio did start his career at Porto but moved to Benfica in 2015, following his elder brother, Jorge Silva (now with Lazio), to Lisbon.
However, while Porto lost Joao Felix for good, Fabio was successfully rescued by the northern giants in 2017, refusing offers from Liverpool and Manchester City along the way, as per MaisFutebol.
"It has been written a hundred times that Joao Felix moved from Porto to Benfica, but perhaps this is the first time people will hear that our vendetta came from Benfica," Pinto da Costa revealed in an interview with O Jogo earlier this year.
Naturally, given their age and backgrounds, Fabio and Felix are going to be compared, but on the pitch, they are completely different players.
Many feel that instead of battling for a place against each other in the national team, they might instead get a chance to share the same pitch in the near future.
Felix already plays alongside Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva in the senior squad, while Fabio still features for the U19 side.
In October, Fabio put his skills on display and took only 45 minutes to net a perfect hat-trick (right-foot, left-foot and header) in a 4-1 friendly win over Italy. He was born to score goals.
"I would say that Fabio and Felix are complementary players, not similar ones. Felix is clearly a second striker, finding space between the lines. Fabio, on the other hand, can develop into a centre-forward, a target man, a killer inside the box," Luis Cristovao, a football pundit for Eleven Sports, SIC Noticias and Antena 1, tells B/R.
"For that reason, considering their playing styles, I think they can combine very well in the years to come."
FC Porto's Portuguese forward Fabio Silva gestures during the Portuguese league football match Boavista FC against FC Porto at the Bessa stadium in Porto on November 10, on 2019. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite being only 17, Fabio has had his qualities widely known for some time, drawing attention from Europe's elite since a tender age.
He now faces the challenge of living up to the hype that has surrounded him and was placed on his shoulders long before his emergence this season.
However, bumping up Fabio's buyout clause has just increased the scrutiny.
When starting against Vitoria de Setubal last month, he was described as the "€125 million boy" during RTP's broadcasting of the Portuguese Cup clash. This is just the beginning for him.
Tomas da Cunha, a football pundit for Eleven Sports and TSF, thinks the hype is justified. "Fabio is the sort of centre-forward with very unusual attributes for Portuguese football, which can drive him to the top," he tells B/R.
"He scores goals in every possible way and style, giving you the impression that he is always in the right spot.
"Inside the box, he can deceive his markers with his twists and turns, and he finishes with an out-of-this-world efficiency.
"He has also got the skills to play outside the box and link up too, but what distinguishes him from other forwards is his coolness in finishing. He does every move naturally. We're before a generational talent here."
Ahead of this season, there were some concerns about how much playing time he would get under manager Sergio Conceicao's guidance of Porto's first team.
A former winger with Lazio and Inter Milan, Conceicao is not particularly known for working with young and unpolished players, being sometimes criticised for his rough attitude and conservative choices. He hasn't changed much but at least seems to be relying more on Porto's graduates this campaign.
Regularly asked about Fabio in his press conferences, Conceicao insists he feels no extra pressure to play Fabio given his new release clause.
"We are talking about a player who has the quality to establish himself at Porto in the foreseeable future. That's what we aim and work for. But never saying that he's our boy. There are no boys here, but players, professionals, men in the dressing room who have to fight every day for a place," he explained.
Even though he's yet to get his driving license, Fabio can expect the hype to ramp up even more in the coming months.
That's because Portuguese superagent Jorge Mendes was brought into his entourage during the new contract talks and will now handle any potential future transfer.
Last summer, Mendes brokered the €126 million deal for Felix to move from Benfica to Atletico de Madrid. Among his clients are also Juventus superstar Ronaldo, Manchester City trio Bernardo Silva, Ederson Moraes and Joao Cancelo, Liverpool midfielder Fabinho and Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.
Fabio's current contract runs until 2022, but as part of the conversations, he's expected to extend it once he turns 18 in July.
He has the support of every section of the Estadio do Dragao to continue shining.
"In a way, Porto's fans have demanded the team to back these young players and give them more minutes. Some have been playing more often, others less, but we can safely attest that there is now an effort from the club to show more confidence in them," Pires says.
"We can sense a great enthusiasm in the stands."
In the medium-to-long term, Fabio can even become a solution for Portugal's lack of world-class strikers and compete with Milan's hot prospect Rafael Leao to lead the line for many years.
"I have no doubt that, with the alternatives we've got these days, the national team has a bright future ahead of it," Cristovao concludes.
Cristiano Ronaldo might be on the brink of scoring his 100th goal for Portugal, but if Fabio fulfills his potential, it might well be him that is the centre of discussions on Portuguese TV football shows when the next World Cup comes around.
Iker Casillas Returns to FC Porto Training 6 Months After Suffering Heart Attack
Nov 4, 2019
Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, with his wife Sara Carbonero, leaves a hospital in Porto, Portugal, Monday, May 6, 2019. Veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas had a heart attack during a training session with his Portuguese club FC Porto and was hospitalized May 1. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas has taken the next step in his recovery from a heart attack in May, returning to training for the first time in six months.
Per AS English, the former Real Madrid star shared this image of his boots, along with the caption "six months and three days you have been in the locker":
Per The Independent's Ed Malyon, Casillas was rushed to a local hospital after he suffered a heart attack during a training session. Local outlet Maisfutebol reported he underwent a cardiac catheterisation, and Porto soon released a statement, reassuring fans he was out of danger.
He's been slowly working his way back since, and per AS, he trained individually for the first time on Monday. Casillas worked for less than half an hour and is not yet close to returning to match action, but he has been included in Porto's official squad for the 2019-20 Primeira Liga season.
FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas during the UEFA Champions League quarter final match between FC Porto and Liverpool FC at Estadio do Dragao on April 17, 2019 in Porto, Portugal(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
He's been working as a liaison between the Porto squad, coaches and boardroom on a provisional basis.
Prior to the heart attack in May, Casillas had been an automatic starter for the Dragons in the domestic league and UEFA Champions League. He joined Porto after he lost his form and his spot in the Real Madrid goal in 2015, and he returned to his best at Estadio do Dragao.
Casillas won the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, as well as five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles with Real. With Porto, he won the 2017-18 domestic title.
Iker Casillas Joins Porto Pre-Season Training After Heart Attack
Jul 1, 2019
FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas during the UEFA Champions League quarter final match between FC Porto and Liverpool FC at Estadio do Dragao on April 17, 2019 in Porto, Portugal(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Iker Casillas returned to Porto's pre-season training on Monday two months on from being hospitalised after a heart attack.
Porto posted photos of the players returning for pre-season preparations on their official website, with Casillas among the squad.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper also posted a message on Twitter which read: "Back to work. First day."
"Retire? There will come a day when I have to retire. Let me announce that news when the moment comes. Yesterday I had a check-up. At the moment all good. That is a great piece of news I wanted to share with you all!" https://t.co/YwHkhM731e
Casillas joined Porto in 2015 after his departure from Real and won a league title at the Estadio do Dragao in 2017-18.
Before his heart attack last term, he made 31 league appearances as Porto came second in the Portuguese top flight behind Benfica.
BR Video
Casillas is drawing to the end of his remarkable career, but at 38, he could still have a season or two to play at the top level.
Goalkeepers regularly enjoy longer playing careers than their outfield counterparts, and it is clear Casillas has decided he still has something to offer.
Iker Casillas Discharged from Hospital After Suffering Heart Attack in Training
May 6, 2019
Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, with his wife Sara Carbonero, leaves a hospital in Porto, Portugal, Monday, May 6, 2019. Veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas had a heart attack during a training session with his Portuguese club FC Porto and was hospitalized May 1. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
FC Porto goalkeeper and Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has been discharged from hospital less than a week after suffering a heart attack in training.
Per Carmen Colino and William Allen of AS, the veteran stopper thanked hospital staff and fans who wished him strength during his stay:
"I'm really grateful, I've been very lucky. I've been made to feel really loved by everyone who has shown their concern.
"I feel quite moved. I must thank the hospital, [Porto] doctor Nelson [Puga], all the medical staff who've looked after me, the people of Porto... everyone.
"I'd like to say thank you for all the support I've received on social media. I feel a lot better [...]. Thousands and thousands of people have sent me messages."
He also addressed his future, saying he's unsure what comes next: "I don't know what the future holds. What's most important is that I'm here."
Per the report, his recovery will take at least 10 months, and experts believe he'll be forced to retire.
The 37-year-old was rushed to hospital on Wednesday but quickly reassured his fans he would be OK by tweeting this picture, per Sport Witness:
Casillas joined Porto in 2015 and breathed new life into his career in Portugal. He started every single match in the Portuguese Liga NOS and UEFA Champions League this season prior to Wednesday's emergency.
Porto started Vana Alves in goal in their first match without Casillas, a 4-0 win over Aves on Saturday. They trail leaders Benfica in the Portuguese league standings by two points, with two matches left to play.
Prior to his move to Portugal, Casillas won five La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues with Real. He also played a key role in Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup triumph, and their European Championship wins in 2008 and 2012.
In November, he told Universo Valdano (h/t Sport) he still wants to play for La Roja.
Iker Casillas Hospitalised After Suffering Heart Attack During Porto Training
May 1, 2019
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas grimaces during the Champions League quarterfinals, 2nd leg, soccer match between FC Porto and Liverpool at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Wednesday, April 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas has reportedly been hospitalised after suffering a heart attack in training on Wednesday.
Per the Independent' Ed Malyon, Casillas was rushed to the hospital in the morning, but local outlet Maisfutebol has reported he is now "out of danger." The stopper tweeted this photograph to assure his fans he is okay (h/t Sport Witness):
Casillas is a world champion and two-time European champion with Spain, and he's regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in history. A product of Real Madrid's academy, he won five Spanish titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues with Los Blancos.
He moved to Porto in 2015 after a loss of form, and Casillas returned to his best in Portugal. He expressed an interest in returning to the Spanish national team in a November interview withUniverso Valdano (h/tSport). A poll byAS revealed fans of La Roja wanted him to go straight back into the starting XI.
Casillas has started all 31 Liga NOS matches for Porto this season, and the Dragons sit just two points off the top spot, behind rivals Benfica. They have three more league matches, including a key clash with Sporting on the final matchday. They'll face Sporting again in the Taca de Portugal final on May 25.
Iker Casillas Highlights Mohamed Salah Tackle After Porto Loss to Liverpool
Apr 10, 2019
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Iker Casillas of FC Porto and Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Liverpool and Porto at Anfield on April 9, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas has said he wants to see things "even up" in the second leg of his team's clash with Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.
The Reds won the first leg of the quarter-final tie 2-0 after first-half goals from Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino. During the game, there were a number of flashpoints for the officials to contend with, including a VAR review for a Trent Alexander-Arnold handball and a high challenge from Mohamed Salah.
In a Twitter post after the game, Casillas posted photographs of the two incidents and an accompanying message, per Liam Prenderville of the Daily Mirror:
Soy 100 por 100 optimista!! Teniendo en cuenta los resultados de octavos de @ChampionsLeague no podemos pensar que la eliminatoria está perdida. Falta el juego en Dragao y vamos a luchar por pasar a las semifinales. Gracias a todos los portistas por el apoyo en Liverpool!! pic.twitter.com/3w1xst6ULP
"The team we played against is a very strong candidate to win this Champions League," he said. "But the 90 minutes are over and we've got another 90 minutes at the Dragao. I ask all the fans to come to the game and create an atmosphere at the Dragao because we want everything on the field to even up the difference between the teams and hopefully we can get into the semi-finals."
Liverpool supporters reacting to the tweet were not pleased with the 37-year-old stopper:
Had the two moments in question gone in favour of Porto, the match at Anfield and the tie may have panned out differently.
The Portuguese side would have benefited from an away goal having fallen behind quickly, and there's no doubt Salah being absent due to suspension in the second leg would hinder the Reds.
BT Sport commentator Ian Darke said Salah's tackle didn't contain much malice, but he thinks the Egyptian was still fortunate to avoid getting his marching orders:
Liverpool lead of 2-0 looks enough. Second goal a beauty. But Porto showed enough to keep tie alive. Salah challenge just mistimed but lucky not to see red. Studs into shin.
While there were some flashpoints that Porto and Casillas may feel hard done by, Liverpool were comfortably the better team overall.
They blew their opponents away in the early stageswith sharp passing and intelligent movement up front. Manager Jurgen Klopp would have been pleased with the result on the night, although the Reds could have won by a larger margin if they had upped their tempo.
Here are the Liverpool goals from a comfortable night for the Premier League team at Anfield (U.S. only):
Casillas, who is rated as one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, was given a warm reception by the Anfield crowd on Tuesday.
During his time with Real Madrid and Spain, he was an iconic figure, winning the Champions League three times with Los Blancos, plus the FIFA World Cup and two UEFA European Championships with his country.
However, after highlighting these two controversial moments in the aftermath of the match, the veteran may not be as warmly received when the second leg is played between these two sides next week.
Former Real Madrid Star Pepe Returns to FC Porto on Free-Agent Contract
Jan 8, 2019
GENK, BELGIUM - NOVEMBER 8: Pepe of Besiktas during the UEFA Europa League match between Genk v Besiktas at the Cristal Arena on November 8, 2018 in Genk Belgium (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Former Real Madrid star Pepe has returned to FC Porto as a free agent, reuniting with fellow Los Blancos legend Iker Casillas.
Pepe 🔵⚪
Bem-vindo a casa / Welcome home / Bienvenido a casa
The 35-year-old defender became a free agent during the first half of the season after he and Besiktas agreed to terminate his contract.
According to Portuguese football writer Alex Goncalves, he had plenty of offers, but a return to Portugal was always at the top of his list:
Pepe has had several offers since his contract with Besiktas was terminated. But the Portuguese centreback would prefer a return to Portugal... Or, alternatively, a move to the English Premier League: https://t.co/8tBz5XgKyu
The Portugal international―who was born and raised in Brazil and moved to Maritimo in 2001―spent three years at Porto, emerging as a star prospect. He joined Real in 2007 and was one of the team's best defenders for a decade, winning three La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
A high-profile move to Turkey followed in 2017, and Besiktas immediately featured the bruising defender heavily on social media, including in the now-legendary "Come To Besiktas" campaign:
Things have not gone smoothly for the club of late, however, and Besiktas entered the winter break in a disappointing seventh place in the Super Lig, nine points behind leaders Basaksehir. They were also knocked out of the UEFA Europa League in the group stages.
The bad results and loss of Europa League revenue was always likely to result in changes, and the veteran Pepe was not a surprising casualty. While he started 10 Super Lig matches and generally played well, it made more sense to get his wages off the books and allow him to chase silverware elsewhere this late in his career.
Porto are having a sensational season and are currently on a winning streak in all competitions dating back to October. They won 16 out of a possible 18 points in their Champions League group and will meet AS Roma in the next round.
The Dragons are the clear favourites in the Portuguese league and could use Pepe's experience in Europe, where they will be hoping to continue their good run. They previously gambled on Casillas, another veteran Real Madrid star, and that has been a major success, as the 37-year-old reinvented himself in Portugal.
