PORTUGAL: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Porto and Chelsea prepare for match in first knock-out round of Champions League

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho expects a difficult first knockout round Champions League game on Wednesday against his former club Porto but he is confident his team's pragmatism will in the end prevail. "We should not become emotional but instead use our pragmatism since it is a game of 180 minutes and not 90 minutes," the Chelsea coach told a news conference on Tuesday. "I have to win the qualification and not the game," Mourinho said. For other side, Jesualdo Ferreira's Porto will stick to their own style and spirit and play to win their first knockout round Champions League game against English champions. "Porto will play in the style they are known for: playing to win," the Porto coach told a news conference on Tuesday. "We will face the game with a strong will to win. We want to win and build here a springboard for success in the tie," Ferreira said. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho arrived in the city on Tuesday to a surprisingly warm welcome and happily signed autographs at the airport. The 43-year-old expected a mixed reception with many fans angry that he deserted the club immediately after the Champions League triumph. ur pragmatism since it is a game of 180 minutes and not 90 minutes," the Chelsea coach told a news conference on Tuesday. "I have to win the qualification and not the game," Mourinho said. The wealthy London side, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and coached by Jose Mourinho, the man who led Porto to the Champions League title in 2004, start favourites to qualify for the quarter-finals. "I feel protected by the fact that I am playing the second leg at home (with Porto), where Chelsea is very strong and wins. In three seasons only one team won there (Barcelona)," he said. The Chelsea manager arrived in the city on Tuesday to a surprisingly warm welcome and happily signed autographs at the airport. Mourinho said that although Porto is a difficult team to beat, Chelsea's strong defence and ability to score goals should in the end prevail. "Chelsea defends well and doesn't suffer a lot of games and during this Champions League season we didn't score in only three games, which shows that we are a balanced team and that we came here (Porto) to get a good result," he said. Chelsea travel without Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz, who lasted just 44 minutes into his comeback from a seven-week layoff before dislocating his shoulder in Chelsea's 4-0 win over Norwich City in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday. Joe Cole (foot) and Ashley Cole (knee) remain sidelined but former Porto defender Ricardo Carvalho, midfielder Claude Makelele and Germany captain Michael Ballack should return after they were rested at the weekend. "I think the message I want to give to my players is that (Porto) have to be more worried about us than we are about them," Mourinho said. Porto, who hold a four-point lead in their domestic championship after thrashing Naval 4-0 on Friday, welcome back winger Ricardo Quaresma. The versatile Quaresma has served a two-match domestic ban after being sent off against Uniao Leiria on Jan. 26. Coach Jesualdo Ferreira is set to revert to a 4-3-3 formation with Argentine strikers Lucho Gonzalez and Lisandro Lopez looking to profit from Quaresma's crossing ability. Probable teams: Porto: 1-Helton; 12-Jose Bosingwa, 3-Pepe, 13-Jorge Fucile, 18-Paulo Assuncao, 16-Raul Meireles, 8-Lucho Gonzalez, 29-Bruno Moraesw, 7-Ricardo Quaresma, 23-Helder Postiga, 9-Lisandro Lopez Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 20-Paulo Ferreira, 6-Ricardo Carvalho, 26-John Terry, 18-Wayne Bridge; 4-Claude Makelele, 5-Michael Essien, 8-Frank Lampard, 13-Michael Ballack; 7-Andriy Shevchenko, 11-Didier Drogba. Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

ITN Source | February 22, 2007

Tags:. .ban. .soccer. .defends. .defender. .although