"Porto" extended contracts with Baia and Costa © EuroFootball.com

The club, celebrating a very successful team performance in the UEFA Champions League, has extended contracts with two of its team players as well as Portugal's national team players - defender and goalkeeper Vitor Baia.

The 32-year-old team captain Costa, who has been playing in the team for more than 10 years now, has extended his contract until 2006. "I want to be useful to the team as long as I can, and the extension of the contract for two years is an ideal option. The UEFA Champions League is the only trophy I haven't won with Porto yet. This time is perfect to seriously think about it," says the team captain.

Baia has extended his contract until 2007. This player has spent his entire professional footballer life in the Porto club, except for three years from 1999, spent in another team. "Porto is my team and I cannot hide my pride that my contract has been extended. I want to help this club remain among the strongest in Europe. I will play as long as I feel good and can train at full strength.

Porto's club president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa added: "We are champions and we want to continue to be. To achieve this, there is nothing better than extending contracts with two club symbols." According to the president, the success of the team in the Champions League, where they reached the semi-finals, had a significant influence on the contract extensions. So far, the Porto team has not gone this far in this league in this decade."