Basel vs. Porto, Champions League draw: Outsiders collide

Basel and Porto were both delighted to have made it into the Champions League knockout phase, and will no doubt be even happier now they’ve seen the outcome of the draw. Neither of these sides were expected to progress much further into the competition, but this two-legged encounter guarantees at least one of the tournament’s big outsiders will be in the quarterfinal stage. Heading in, it’s Porto who are the favourites, but this is certainly one of the more unpredictable matchups.

Swiss champions Basel got off to an unconvincing start to their Champions League campaign, dropping points early in a heavy defeat to Real Madrid, and an even more disappointing loss to Ludogorets Razgrad. However, a win at home to Liverpool combined with a dramatic draw at Anfield to ensure they progressed into the knockout stages in dramatic, but deserved fashion.

They’re certainly not a side with many household names, but Paulo Sousa has turned Basel into a very competitive team on the continental front. They’re a team that like to play with the ball at their feet, and players like Fabian Frei, Luca Zuffi and Taulant Xhaka are all very capable at fashioning chances for their attacking teammates.

Sure, whatever happens from here, Basel’s European campaign has been a success. But don’t expect them to roll over and enjoy the ride. They’re an ambitious young team with an ambitious manager, and they’ll be stubborn opponents for Porto in this encounter.

Basel legend Marco Streller is now 33 years old, but he’s still one of the club’s most important players. Spearheading the attack, Streller is a powerful player who is excellent at playing with his back to goal. Even if he doesn’t get on the scoresheet, his hold-up and link play proves invaluable for a team that rarely dominates Champions League fixtures. He’s far from the most spectacular player, but he is one of Basel’s most valuable.

That talent helped them win their Champions League group with ease, with only Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk managing to take points off them. The aggressive style utilized by Julen Lopetegui’s squad has served them well, as many teams have struggled to keep up with Porto’s pace and athleticism. That quality gap will be significantly closed from hereon out, though, making it critical for them to stay on top of their game.

Making life easier for Porto is that they have a very deep pool of talent at their disposal at every position group, making rotation and playing matchup games all the easier for them. Their style is always more or less the same, but swapping out specific pieces can create nightmarish matchup problems for their opponents. If they can find the right combination, they have the ability to take out any side left in this competition.

Key Player - Jackson Martínez

Martínez is the focus of Porto’s attacking efforts, and for good reason. He’s big, athletic, and is a natural finisher. That’s a hard combination for most teams to hold at bay. His ten league goals lead the Portuguese Primeira Liga, and his five tallies in the group stage was good for joint third in the Champions League. Martínez is very good and very dangerous, and if any side wants to make sure they beat Porto, stopping him needs to be their top priority.