After Tuesday’s exciting Champions League matches, it is now time for Lille and Porto to begin their quest in Europe’s biggest club competition. The French side will host Porto, as they look to claim a comfortable lead to take back to Portugal.
Today’s match will be Julen Lopetegui’s first Champions League match in charge of the Portuguese outfit. The Spanish manager will be confident after his side claimed a 2-0 victory in their opening match of the campaign on Friday against Maritimo.
Lopetegui will be up against history when it comes to the Champions League.
In the previous 11 editions of the competition, the Dragões have only failed to take part in it once, the 2010/11 season. The fact that Lille have not won a European match at home in nearly two years will also be a motivating factor for the visitors.
“It is important that we do a lot of things well,” Lopetegui told reporters on Tuesday.
“Tomorrow, we need to be at our best. I don’t understand the word favorite. We have high hopes, and we want to achieve a positive result.”
Knowing that Lille are a very well organized squad, Porto’s offense of Ricardo Quaresma and Jackson Martinez will have to be very focused to break down the hosts.
Last season, Lille only conceded 26 goals during their entire Ligue 1 campaign. That quite impressive, considering only PSG conceded less.
Lille’s last European victory at home came in 2012, when they defeated FC Kobenhavn in a Champions League playoff match. Since then, they have drawn one and lost three. Will they be able to break that streak tonight?
“Porto is one of the biggest clubs in Europe,” René Girard said on Tuesday.
“They are a solid club who has evolved over the years. They have grown a lot and they are used to find some talented players. They have more experience than us, but I believe they respect us and we deserve that respect.”
“Playing the first match at home, it is important that we not suffer any goals, although that is not completely vital.”
Tonight’s meeting between these two sides will be their first official match against each other.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Lille vs Porto live on Wednesday, August 20, 2014:
In the US at 14:45 EST on:
- TV: ESPN Deportes, Fox Soccer Plus
- Online / App: WATCH ESPN, Fox Soccer 2Go
- Radio: ESPN Deportes Radio
In Canada at 14:45 EST on:
- TV: Sportsnet World
- Online / App: Sportsnet World Now
In Portugal at 19:45 WEST on:
- TV: TVI
In France at 20:45 CEST on:
- TV: beIN Sports 1
- Online / App: beIN SPORTS CONNECT
For more TV listings, please visit the Lille vs Porto match page.
