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Portugal's "Porto" and "Braga" clubs will continue their national battle on the European front on Wednesday, when they will clash in the Europa League final almost 1300 kilometers away from home. In their homeland, these teams are only separated by less than 50 kilometers.
UEFA Europa League Final
"Porto" - "Braga"
Date: Wednesday, 2011.05.18, 21.45 Lithuanian time
Location: "Dublin Arena" (Dublin, Ireland, 51.7 thousand seats)
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Live broadcast: "Viasat Sport Baltic"
The national champions, the "Porto" football players, will have to play this match without defender Jorge Fucile and goalkeeper Cristiano Rodriguez, but they are still the undisputed favorites in the duel.
In the national championships, the Porto team had no equals and did not stumble even once throughout the season, repeating the result achieved by Lisbon's "Benfica" back in 1973. "Braga" also could not match the leader and lagged behind by 38 points.
Guided by the young and ambitious coach Andre Villas-Boas, the "Porto" team has the opportunity to win three trophies in one season, as they have already won the Portuguese cup.
The 33-year-old specialist is already being compared to the famous Jose Mourinho, and he himself said: "I have a lot of respect for Jose, but I don't want to be his clone. I want to work freely, without restrictions, without thoughts of what he thinks about it.
It is very easy to compare things, but if we look at what kind of personalities we are and what we have achieved, we will see that there are many differences. I don't think I will ever achieve such impressive results."
"Porto" can boast an impressive offense - this season they scored 130 goals, with 36 of them in the Europa League. Forwards Hulk and Falcao scored the lion's share, with 63 goals.
However, "Braga" hopes to spring a surprise and sensationally win the second most prestigious club football trophy.
"Looking at how the season has unfolded, it is natural that "Porto" is the favorite in the final. But these are just one game, anything can happen," said "Braga" strategist Domingos Paciencia.
History does not promise much - "Braga" has not defeated Porto for almost two years, and suffered defeats in two cup finals.
Still, the fact that the team can win only their second trophy since the triumph in the 1956 Portuguese cup tournament leads Paciencia's proteges forward, even if injured defenders Rodriguez, Miguel Garcia, and forward Paulo Cesario are missing from the lineup.
Video presenting the final:
