Porto eyeing quick qualification

Posted Tuesday, November 03, 2009 by PA

Porto midfielder Raul Meireles has revealed the Portuguese champions are in a hurry to book their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Jesualdo Ferreira's side can seal their berth in the last 16 with two games to spare should they defeat APOEL in Cyprus and Atletico Madrid fail to beat Chelsea in Tuesday's Group D encounters.

The odds are certainly stacked in Porto's favour, with no Cypriot side having ever claimed a win or even a draw against Portuguese opposition in major competitions - while two goals from Hulk secured a 2-1 win for Ferreira's side in the reverse fixture at Estadio do Dragao a fortnight ago.

Despite the omens, Meireles has played down talk of an easy win for Porto, although he insists sealing qualification to the next round as soon as possible is the target.

"I do not think there are favourites," Meireles told his club's website, fcporto.pt.

"FC Porto is more experienced in the Champions League. But they [APOEL] have an excellent team, as shown at the Dragao. We want to win and we will work hard.

"Our goal is to get three more points in this game. We want to qualify as quickly as possible to the next stage of the Champions League.

"We know that if we win this game, things get easier."

APOEL's narrow defeat last time out typified their Champions League campaign thus far, which has yet to yield a victory.

The Cypriots went ahead through Alvaro Pereira's 22nd-minute own goal - before Hulk struck twice, the second a penalty, to ensure the Portuguese side enjoy a five-point cushion over third-placed APOEL heading into the match.

The visitors will be without Mariano Gonzalez, who is suspended following his red card last time out.

Ferreira's selection headaches do not end there, with Diego Valeri (ankle), Fucile, Cristian Sapunaru, Miguel Lopes and Silvestre Varela (all thigh) all injury doubts.

APOEL's Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic also has a number of injury problems with which to contend, Adrian Sikora (knee) and Marcin Zewlakow (calf) both sidelined.

Kamil Kosowski (knee), Altin Haxhi (calf) and Paulo Jorge (muscle tear) are all expected to shake of fitness niggles.

APOEL are under no illusions that they face a battle to qualify, and captain Chrysostomos Michail has indicated third place and a berth in the last 32 of the Europa League is now the realistic aim.

"As things stand, finishing second will be very hard," he admitted.

"We'll aim to get as many points as we can to continue our journey in Europe, though."