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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Form favours Porto as Hamburg visit

/noticias.info/ by Paul Saffer
from Porto

It is fair to say FC Porto and Hamburger SV would have liked to be going into their Matchday 3 encounter in better positions in UEFA Champions League Group G. Porto have just one point, and failed to score against both PFC CSKA Moskva and Arsenal FC, while injury-hit Hamburg are yet to get off the mark and do not even have a Bundesliga win to their credit, lying in the relegation zone after Saturday's 2-1 home loss to FC Schalke 04.

Hamburg respected
Porto, whose point came with a 0-0 draw here against CSKA, at least lead the way in the Portuguese Liga although coach Jesualdo Ferreira does not believe these sides' contrasting domestic fortunes will have any bearing on the outcome. "It is true that Hamburg have not won a league match this season," he said. "But these are two different competitions. The fact they are winning or losing their games does not change anything in terms of how we approach the game. We are going to try to put on pressure from the start. Obviously I would like us to have scored already in the UEFA Champions League, but I am not worried about that."

Ricardo Costa favoured
With the return in Germany to come in a fortnight, the coach continued: "Even if we win both matches against Hamburg, we cannot qualify if we do not get any more points against CSKA and Arsenal." Ferreira is expected to make one change from the team that defeated CS Marítimo 3-0 on Saturday, with fit-again Ricardo Costa coming back in at right-back having replaced Bosingwa at half-time. Forward Bruno Moraes could figure after making his first appearance for six months against Marítimo, although a thigh injury rules out Adriano.

Injury woes
Hamburg have lost midfielder David Jarolím to a shoulder problem and with Rafael van der Vaart still out, 22-year-old playmaker Piotr Trochowski will have a key role following his impressive debut for Germany last week. To make matters worse for coach Thomas Doll, defenders Guy Demel, Bastian Reinhardt and Thimothée Atouba are sidelined after suffering recent injuries and Vincent Kompany is a severe doubt with a groin problem. Striker Benjamin Lauth is suspended, but goalkeeper Sascha Kirschstein is available after a ban prevented him playing in the 1-0 reverse at CSKA.

Doll vow
Doll, who has promised not to repeat the defensive tactics that came unstuck in Moscow, said: "Both teams need the points so it is a hugely important match. Hamburg will play as if it were the final. This season has not been too good but there is no better opportunity than a UEFA Champions League match when a new attitude is needed. Porto are top of their league, a great side, but we are not worried." Experienced Swiss international Raphael Wicky, set to step back from midfield to fill the defensive hole, agrees. "We are not concerned about not being favourites. It is not always the favourites that win," he said.

Probable teams
Porto: Helton; Ricardo Costa, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Marek Čech; Lucho González, Raul Meireles, Anderson; Ricardo Quaresma, Hélder Postiga, Lisandro López.

Hamburg: Sascha Kirschstein; Collin Benjamin, Raphael Wicky, Joris Mathijsen, Juan Pablo Sorín; Nigel de Jong, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Alexander Laas; Piotr Trochowski; Danijel Ljuboja, Boubacar Sanogo. notas_de_prensa_archivo