FC Porto coach Julen Lopetegui is facing harsh criticism after the Portuguese football club’s defeat against Chelsea on Wednesday that resulted in their elimination from the European Champions League group stage.
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Given our slim chances of achieving a top four league finish, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise if the team chooses to focus their attention in competitions that we still have a chance of winning, such as the Champions League itself and the FA Cup.
He had a hand in both goals as Chelsea finished top of their group.
Chelsea began to play with more freedom and it paid off when a speedy passing move between Costa and Hazard in the 52nd minute found Brazilian Willian, who cracked a shot inside the near post beyond the diving Casillas.
“But when we won at Porto in 2004 we were not candidates”.
The Spain striker enjoyed a productive debut campaign as the Blues easily won the Premier League title last season, but was left on the bench against Tottenham and Bournemouth after struggling to replicate that impact this term.
“The thing that I’m more happy with apart from the result is the players accepted the challenge of playing to win, even though we only needed a draw”, Mourinho said.
The 35-year-old defender said: “This was very important”.
Early qualifiers are: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Wolfsburg, PSV, PSG, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Zenit and Barcelona.
And when Willian, Chelsea’s star player this season, doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half, Mourinho turned towards his son seated behind the dugout and punched the air in defiance.
With Porto out of the Champions League, Iker Casillas has his eye on a possible reunion with former club Real Madrid next season.
“The Champions League is a tough competition and there are a lot of good teams still in it but I hope that we can do something”.
“The first goal was an own goal but his movement is great, the pass arrives”. There are things you need to control, but the bib thing was an impulse. Last season he would score immediately.
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“We had three or four unsafe situations and an unlucky situation where the game changed completely”.
