FC Porto will face Malaga CF in the last 16 of the Champions League. Read our in depth article about this Champions League last 16 matchup<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
FC Porto – M\u00e1laga CF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First leg: Estadio do Dragao, Porto. Tuesday, February 19. Malaga are another Spanish side with off field problems. The club \u2013 invigorated by new Middle Eastern investment in 2010 \u2013 is appealing against a one year UEFA ban for financial irregularities. But the Champions League debutants cruised through their group and Porto, 2004 winners under Jose Mourinho, know Manuel Pellegrini\u2019s side are a tough opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is Porto\u2019s best showing since 2010 when Arsenal put them out at the quarter final phase. They took a year out of the competition in 2010-11, but won the Europa League under current Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas Boas. Last time out they failed to get out of a relatively easy looking group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Malaga are already in dreamland. They came through the play offs to make their Champions League bow and then dominated Group C, qualifying with two matches to spare with a famous draw at San Siro, home of the mighty Milan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Porto qualified for the knock out stages in the same round of matches too, but couldn\u2019t beat the money men of Paris Saint-Germain for the top spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two teams have never met before but both can take hope from the other\u2019s record against their compatriots. Malaga\u2019s only every away defeat in a European tie was in Portugal, while Porto have lost half of their home matches to Spanish opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manuel Pellegrini is already a hero to his fans and players, challenging them to shock Europe after he decided to stay on despite the club\u2019s financial problems. With cash short, the club wasn\u2019t able to splash out on big names for this campaign, though experienced striker Roque Santa Cruz has been at some of Europe\u2019s top clubs including Bayern Munich and Manchester City. And Uruguayan captain Diego Lugano has just joined on loan from PSG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Local boy Francisco Portillo is probably only in the team, at just 22, because of the shortage of cash, but is now an established star. Any visit to this passionate Andalusian arena, with many British fans from the large ex-pat community adding to the noise, will be tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Porto are some experts\u2019 outside tip to go all the way to Wembley, despite not topping their group. V\u00edtor Pereira was Andre Villas Boas deputy before the young head coach followed Jose Mourinho\u2019s path to a short and unhappy spell at Chelsea. Pereira has little playing experience, he retired at just 29, but his side are an exciting prospect. Argentinian Lucho Gonz\u00e1lez pulls the strings in midfield, earning the name, El Comandante, for his leadership and an eight game Champions League scoring run is hard earned. He leads a strong South American contingent with the two Colombians James Rodr\u00edguez and Jackson Mart\u00ednez tipped for bright futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Porto\u2019s veteran Jo\u00e3o Moutinho says his team are keeping their feet on the ground, while Roque Santa Cruz says Malaga\u2019s players are savouring \u2018making history\u2019 for their club. Can Malaga continue to do the impossible? They have nothing to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Head to Head <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Malaga CF <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n League position on February 4 Last five games Odds FC Porto <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n League position on February 4 Last five games Odds Odds on draw<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13\/5<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the other Champions League last 16 matchups :<\/p>\n\n\n\n Celtic Glasgow vs Juventus<\/a> FC Porto will face Malaga CF in the last 16 of the Champions League. Read our in depth article about this Champions League last 16 matchup<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-champions-league"],"yoast_head":"
Second leg: La Rosaleda, Malaga. Wednesday, March 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
fourth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
D, D, L, W, D<\/p>\n\n\n\n
18\/5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First<\/p>\n\n\n\n
W, W, W, D, W<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evens<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Valencia CF vs Paris Saint-Germain<\/a>
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund<\/a>
Real Madrid CF v Manchester United FC<\/a>
Arsenal FC – FC Bayern M\u00fcnchen<\/a>
Galatasaray A.S. v FC Schalke 04<\/a>
AC Milan v FC Barcelona<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"