Porto won their season opener away to Rio Ave and Coach Nuno Espirito Santo warned Champions League opponents Roma are “tough.”
The two sides will go head-to-head for a spot in the Champions League group phase with the play-offs on August 17 and 23.
Porto opened their campaign last night with a 3-1 victory away to Rio Ave, but had initially gone a goal down before Jesus Corona, Hector Herrera and Andre Silva’s penalty.
Porto won their season opener away to Rio Ave and Coach Nuno Espirito Santo warned Champions League opponents Roma are “tough.”
The two sides will go head-to-head for a spot in the Champions League group phase with the play-offs on August 17 and 23.
Porto opened their campaign last night with a 3-1 victory away to Rio Ave, but had initially gone a goal down before Jesus Corona, Hector Herrera and Andre Silva’s penalty.
It was a fiery occasion with Marcelo sent off for the hosts and ex-Inter full-back Alex Telles seeing red for Porto on 65 minutes.
“We started the game well and the reaction was very good after the Rio Ave goal on a corner,” said the Coach.
“They have a very direct style of football that requires us to maintain a good defensive balance. We won deservedly, though the red cards did affect the game.
“The team is under construction, we are assimilating ideas more as time goes on and it’ll be easier the more time we spend together. There is no definitive starting XI, as it’s a very strong squad.”
Vincent Aboubakar and Yacine Brahimi were left out of the line-up to rest them ahead of Wednesday’s Roma clash.
“There is a big game coming up against a very tough opponent. We’ll prove how much we want to go forward in the Champions League.”
Porto: Casillas; Maxi Pereira, Felipe, Marcano, Telles; Herrera, Danilo Pereira; Corona (Adrian Lopez 82), Andre Andre, Otavio (Layun 68); Andre Silva (Depoitre 78)