Preview: Luis Castro goes for his second victory as Porto's manager
The 2013/14 campaign has not gone according to plan, or at least how Porto and their fans would have expected. They are currently third in the Portuguese League, two points behind Sporting CP, and nine behind league leaders Benfica.
After a lot of speculation and mixed opinions, Paulo Fonseca was sacked from the club last week. That has now given Porto’s B team manager, Luis Castro, an opportunity to put his name in the European spotlight.
Castro started his managerial career off with a victory at the weekend, as the current Portuguese champions defeated Arouca 4-1 at home.
Two goals from Ricardo Quaresma and a missed penalty were the story of the game, but the hosts were able to get back to winning ways.
They will now try to keep things going at home, against a Napoli side that they have already met this season. A 3-1 victory for Porto at the Emirates Cup against Napoli will give them somewhat of an idea what to expect, although some of the players who featured on the day are no longer at the club, nor is the manager.
Rafa Benitez is confident in his side coming away with a positive performance this time around, but he believes Porto are the favorites in the first leg.
“Porto is playing at home, therefore they are the favorites,” Benitez told reporters.
“We must also not forget the experience Porto has in European competitions. They are a great club, and they have at their disposal a number of very talented players.”
Despite respecting their opponents, Napoli has a number of talented players of their own.
Hamsik, Callejon, Higuain and Insigne will try to lead the Italians to a positive result at the Dragão on Thursday night. They have enjoyed their domestic campaign, securing a ten point lead over fourth placed Fiorentina, while second place is still within striking distance.
Napoli comes into the match unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions. Away from home in the Champions League and Europa League this season, Benitez’s squad has won only once from four fixtures. A victory away to Marseille has been overshadowed by defeats at Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, with a draw at Swansea City in the last round.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
In Canada at 14:00 ET on: Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet World Online, TVA Sports, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific
In the UK at 18:00 GMT on: ITV Live Player, ITV 4
In the USA at 14:00 ET on: Fox Soccer 2Go, ESPN Deportes, SiriusXM FC, Fox Sports 2 USA
Fans in Portugal can watch this match live on Sport TV1. If you are in Italy, Sky Calcio 1, Sport Mediaset LIVE, and Premium Calcio will provide live coverage. For viewers outside these countries, please visit the Porto vs Napoli match page for full TV listings.
