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Alvaro Pereira: Porto Could Have Finished Above Chelsea In Champions League
Though the Dragoes achieved their aim of reaching the knock-out stage, Pereira has indicated the team could have achieved more...
| Bet: | Returns: | Porto £26.00 | Draw £32.00 | Manchester City £25.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Porto £26.00 | Draw £32.00 | Manchester City £23.80 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Porto £27.50 | Draw £32.50 | Manchester City £23.75 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Porto £28.00 | Draw £33.00 | Manchester City £25.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Porto £27.00 | Draw £32.00 | Manchester City £24.00 |
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Dec 11, 2009 9:21:52 AM
After helping Porto qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League, defender Alvaro Pereira could not help but regret that his side failed to finish first in Group D.
Had the Dragoes managed to top their pool they would have been in line for a more favourable draw in the knock-out stage, but Chelsea just managed to outlast them, winning 14 points to the Portuguese side’s 12.
Jesualdo Ferreira’s outfit nevertheless managed to produce a highly impressive performance to hammer Atletico Madrid 3-0 away from home on Tuesday evening, a result that left Uruguayan international Pereira pleased.
“We were strong in this game and we are working hard to play well in every game,” he told uefa.com. “We are growing as a team. Our recent performances, against Rio Ave, Guimaraes and even Chelsea [on Champions League Matchday 5], have been excellent. On a personal level, I am delighted.
“It was a very positive group stage for us. The game against Atletico went well, but we felt we could even have won the group. The overall result was very positive, however.”
When inevitably asked which team he would like to meet in the last 16, the 24-year-old refused to cite any particular names, explaining, “I have no real preference. We simply believe in ourselves to carry on improving. All the teams are difficult to play at this stage, but Porto have shown we can beat any team.”
The Portuguese champions now have the chance to focus on their domestic league, in which they are currently ranked third, three points behind joint leaders Braga and Benfica. They will return to Champions League action when the knock-out stages begin in last February.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
Had the Dragoes managed to top their pool they would have been in line for a more favourable draw in the knock-out stage, but Chelsea just managed to outlast them, winning 14 points to the Portuguese side’s 12.
Jesualdo Ferreira’s outfit nevertheless managed to produce a highly impressive performance to hammer Atletico Madrid 3-0 away from home on Tuesday evening, a result that left Uruguayan international Pereira pleased.
“We were strong in this game and we are working hard to play well in every game,” he told uefa.com. “We are growing as a team. Our recent performances, against Rio Ave, Guimaraes and even Chelsea [on Champions League Matchday 5], have been excellent. On a personal level, I am delighted.
“It was a very positive group stage for us. The game against Atletico went well, but we felt we could even have won the group. The overall result was very positive, however.”
When inevitably asked which team he would like to meet in the last 16, the 24-year-old refused to cite any particular names, explaining, “I have no real preference. We simply believe in ourselves to carry on improving. All the teams are difficult to play at this stage, but Porto have shown we can beat any team.”
The Portuguese champions now have the chance to focus on their domestic league, in which they are currently ranked third, three points behind joint leaders Braga and Benfica. They will return to Champions League action when the knock-out stages begin in last February.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
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