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Basel
Champions League | Round-Of-16
Feb 18, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Porto

1-1

Gonzalez (11')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Danilo (79' pen.)

Preview: Basel vs. Porto

Sports Mole looks ahead to Porto's trip to Basel for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Basel and Porto return to Champions League action on Wednesday when they meet in Switzerland for the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Basel booked their place in the knockout stage by finishing behind Real Madrid in Group B, while Porto claimed top spot in Group H with an unbeaten record of four wins and two draws.

Alongside Real Madrid and Chelsea, the Portuguese giants were one of only three teams who failed to taste defeat during the group stage.

The hosts, who are managed by former Benfica and Sporting Lisbon coach Paulo Sousa, have never made it through to the last eight of the competition. Their previous experience in the last 16 saw them thrashed 7-1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, two-time champions Porto are looking to secure a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2009. The Portuguese outfit last won the competition under Jose Mourinho in 2004.

Both teams will be full of confidence heading into the game thanks to rich veins of form. Basel are unbeaten in the last nine matches in all competitions, while Porto have won 10 of their previous 10 outings.

Jackson Martinez is likely to keep the Basel defence busy thanks to a return of 21 goals in 26 games so far this season. Shkelzen Gashi tops the goalscoring charts for the Swiss outfit with 13 strikes to his name.

Experienced defender Fabian Schar is suspended for Basel, who are also expected to be without Ivan Ivanov and Adama Traore through injury. Porto's only injury problem is Adrian Lopez, who is sidelined with a leg problem.

Basel:

Form in Champions League: LWLWLD
Form in all competitions: DWWWWD

Possible starting lineup: Vaclik; Safari, Suchy, Degen, Xhaka; Delgado, Calla, Gashi, Zuffi; El Nenny, Streller

Porto:

Form in Champions League: WDWWWD
Form in all competitions: DLWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Fabiano; Marcano, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Maicon; Quaresma, Brahimi, Herrera, Casemiro; Torres, Martinez

Sports Mole says: 1-2


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Mohamed Elneny of FC Basel and Joe Allen of Liverpool compete for a header during the UEFA Champions League group B match on December 9, 2014
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
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QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

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QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

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QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

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QReal Sociedad633012
QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

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QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

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QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

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QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


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