Round of 16 - Roma vs Porto

Who will progress?

Roma should progress. But given their inconsistency so far this season, nothing is certain.

Porto have to be favorites imo. They had an excellent group stage and are in great league form too.

The only thing we have going for us right now is that this tie gets played 2 months from now. By then, we could look completely unrecognizable from what we are right now, for better or worse.

For now, Porto have the advantage.

Roma last year in their combative midfield and overall team ethos would BTFO this Porto.

Sadly this is far from the case this year if anyone has been following them.

Dzeko their main star people fail to mention year in year out has to deal with increasingly less support, going from the loss of Salah, key midfield players from Pjanic to Strootman to Nainggolan etc and is very much left up forward alone when El Shaarawy is either injured or not meeting up in the same lane as him.

Porto not only are coming off a strong group stage but seem to be in good form in the league as well.

Makes one wonder is it best to cut EDF now to build to a relatively near February or hope he can turn things around with this group of unprofessional players and send Porto back to...Porto.

With the lack of quality replacements, chopping and changing mid-season would probably set us back instead of forward.

We just need our best players fit, some reinforcements next month and for the players to believe in themselves again. EDF can help with that, but not on his own.

I give us a 25% chance of getting by Porto right now.

In case anyone wondering, this is on too. Hopefully Roma could make Lewis a bit happy today. Though just like Jay's Sevilla, I doubt it.

Deft as Roma's players are from Dzeko to El-Shaarawy to De Rossi to Manolas in the back and then the young but adept mind of Di Francesco;

Doubt is what sets them apart from the best teams, from performing week in week out, from dazzling on the days that they do from Serie A to the biggest stage in Europe last year (lets be honest, the world).

Porto on the other hand are very impressive under Conceição and regularly this season have outshone their biggest rivals in Primeira Liga along with an impressive run of results within the Champions league even if it was a silver platter handed to them in the form of Galatasaray, Lokomotiv and a very naive Schalke.

Roma to likely be Roma in this tie despite their resoundingly success in last years UCL, more due to their own lapses and errors rather than Porto's confident squad.

0-2 Porto

Conceição as in Sergio Conceição? He's a manager now?

Yes indeed, amigo.

He won the Premiera last season and remains the favourite to win this season despite Benfica one point away from their heels.

Very promising manager ever since his tenure in Braga.

Former Lazio player too as you know, so has an extra incentive to win this tie.

SC wrote:Sergio Conceicao ‘doesn’t know why’ Ivan Marcano is not a Roma regular and claims ‘Francesco Totti doesn’t like me because I won here six times’ with Lazio.

Conceicao helped Lazio lift the Scudetto in 2000 and also played for the likes of Parma and Inter before leading Porto to the Portuguese title last season.

“I know this city well but, regardless of my past as a player, I’m focused on tomorrow’s match,” said the former Portugal winger at a Press conference for Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg in Rome.

“We’re happy to face Roma, but Roma will also have been happy to draw us. We’ll play to get the result tomorrow. We want to reach the quarter-finals.

“Totti’s words on the draw? Maybe he doesn’t like me because I won here six times in a row…

“There are no special feelings on my part. The only feeling for me is being able to wear the Porto badge on my chest.

“This club are among the best in the world and we want to get to the quarters, that’s clear.

“It’ll be a very interesting match. In the Champions League you need experience and bravery but also good legs. We’re ready for this tie.

“It thrills me to be able to return to Rome and relive the unique moments I shared with the Lazio fans, but right now I’m only thinking about this game.

“Zaniolo? They have some very good players. Zaniolo’s very important for how their attack functions.

“He has a lot of quality and we’ll take him into consideration like everyone else because we work on the collective.

“He’s a young lad of great value. Marcano? I coached him last year, he’s a great professional and I don’t know why he’s not finding space in Italy.

“He has immense qualities and was fantastic last season.”

Clearly some bad blood between him and Roma (and of course Totti) to this day.

I partially agree on Marcano even if he has not proven himself too well in Roma so far despite the limited chances.

He is way better than what Romanisti have seen of him. Very underrated.

I bet Zaniolo would look fantastic in Lederhosen

Ah the next 30m+ player for Roma to sell in 1-2 years

@RG just realized your app really is fantastic

Thanks mate. I only do it for my fans.

Just enjoying the kid while we have him. With FFP no longer a problem, we just need that stadium built and it's revenue to help us keep talents like him. Unfortunately, I think we'll sell him before that happens though. I'd say we'll probably sell the next 2 emerging youngsters too (non-Roman) before that revenue has enough of an impact.

Though I really wish we hadn't conceded that away goal.

Good result, anything is still up for grabs

Hapless_Hans wrote:I bet Zaniolo would look fantastic in Lederhosen

You say that about any player that can pass a ball decent at this point.

Hapless_Hans wrote:@RG just realized your app really is fantastic

Its a game changer

Doc wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:I bet Zaniolo would look fantastic in Lederhosen

You say that about any player that can pass a ball decent at this point.

I am a bit desperate, I will admit. Oversexed and underfucked.

Just found out Inter traded this kid for Monggolan what a shit show of a team.

What a terrific match. Glad I caught this rather than the other apparent snoozefest.

Scrappy as it was, Roma were content on going for the counter clearly an intent of preserving the team from any away goal whilst Porto were aggressive and keen on possession throughout though by no means dominating. Why?

A Pleasure to see San Iker return and sadly no peep on his fantastic current and last season on GL since its evident forum-wide they love to hate on the storied legend, and San Iker saved Porto from an embarrassment with some classic reflex saves and excellent composure throughout.

That piece of skill from Dzeko to cut in from the deft touch on his left and aim for the near post (saved just closely by Casillas) was absolutely brilliant and the highlight of the game.

Kolarov highlighting the bravery of goalkeepers in railing San Iker on his nose with a shot that can only come from the left footed cannon of the Serbian was also brilliant but harsh on Casillas' nose and you could see him streaming in pain.

Zaniolo, who was quiet through his match in a very uncomfortable inside-forward role on the right opposite of El Shaarawy came through once again in the biggest moments of his limited Champions League debut.

Not one goal to break the deadlock but two and Rincon and I have been going on about what a stellar youngster this is to watch and one that I cannot see as a flash in the pan given how many times week in week out he manages to surprise his viewers. Shame he will likely be pried away from Roma, likely by Juventus who just seem to waste Italian born talents and content to have their name just on their sheet but I have a feeling he may just remain.

Best performances Zaniolo aside were Pellegrini who cannot be forgotten in the emergence of the former, DDR who was surreally calm and his experience shone through ticking in the middle of the field and Dzeko, despite not scoring for his wonderful key passes.

Roma being Roma being Roma, of course had to concede the most unlucky goal that came off a terrible clearance after of course losing their heads to the enthralment of the moment and blew the tie open themselves by giving away that precious away goal to the Portuguese, and heading into the cavernous and intimidating Estádio do Dragão and one has the feeling that Porto more than enough have the advantage going home despite the win to which could not seem more marginal at this point.

This will make for a fantastic 2nd leg no doubt.

Either way very promising from Roma today.

farfan wrote:Just found out Inter traded this kid for Monggolan what a shit show of a team.

Prime Inter tbh. Could potentially match trading Cannavaro for Carini or the time they sold Pirlo to Milan and got (Google needed for this spelling) Andres Guglielminpietro in return.

Agree wholly with you, Arg.

With DDR specifically, we are a different team in midfield. Fazio again with a rough performance though. A CB must be our top signing in the summer. Federico's been great for this club overall, but he's clearly in decline now.

Dzeko showed his class with his ability to create chances as well today. He really is a complete striker. And then there's Kolarov. Beyond DDR and Manolas, I don't think there's a player that better represents the warrior mentality that this team can take on when they need to. And he's doing this on a bum foot too. Those ultras insulting him can go play in traffic.

How were we @McLewis??? I didn't watch the whole game. There were some intense Porto pressure during the patches I caught.

That away goal would/could prove disastrous, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.