Europa League Final - 18/5/2011 - 1945 BST - Porto v Braga

[*Paul*]

BBC Sport - Europa League final: Porto v Braga

Portuguese neighbours Porto and Braga will travel 800 miles to renew their local rivalry on Wednesday in the Europa League final.

The pair are based only 30 miles apart but will play the match in the Dublin Arena.

Champions Porto are without defender Jorge Fucile and midfielder Cristiano Rodriguez but will be favourites.

Braga have injury doubts over defenders Rodriguez and Miguel Garcia and striker Paulo Cesar.

Porto have scored more than 130 goals this season, including 36 in the Europa League. Strikers Hulk and Radamel Falcao have contributed 63 of those goals.

However, Braga coach Domingos Paciencia believes anything can happen in a one-off contest.

"In a final, and given how the season has gone, it's natural that Porto are big favorites," he said.

"But it's a final, it's just one match."

The final will be the eighth between teams from one nation and the first since 2007 when Sevilla edged Spanish rival Espanyol on penalties.

I reckon it will be 2-0 to Porto, with a Falcao brace, with Hulk playing a big part as well.

I think Braga will fight very well, but not be able to contain the Porto attack. They have been good this season, starting off with their win against Sevilla.

However, Porto have scored tons of goals this season, won the league and haven't conceded that many.

It will be a great game though, for me, as a neutral. I'm definitely watching it.

What are your predictions/any other news on this clash?

 

[Jamie.]

Like yourself I can see myself being camped in this thread until 10 pm-ish tomorrow, would love to say Falcao poaching some goals but I have a sneaky suspicion that Hulk will bag one, Falcao will bag one and one of porto's midfielders bagging one. Can see Braga snatching one on the break so 3-1 final score to Porto <3.

It will be Boas' first European honour and certainly not his last, Braga's keeper by the way gents is unbelievably small and has the habit of 'doing a Gomes'.

Prediction: Porto 3-1 Braga

 

[*Paul*]

Like yourself I can see myself being camped in this thread until 10 pm-ish tomorrow, would love to say Falcao poaching some goals but I have a sneaky suspicion that Hulk will bag one, Falcao will bag one and one of porto's midfielders bagging one. Can see Braga snatching one on the break so 3-1 final score to Porto <3.

It will be Boas' first European honour and certainly not his last, Braga's keeper by the way gents is unbelievably small and has the habit of 'doing a Gomes'.

Prediction: Porto 3-1 Braga

Artur? Haven't watched him much, but still...you would need a world-class keeper to stop Porto at their very best !

 

[Jamie.]

Artur? Haven't watched him much, but still...you would need a world-class keeper to stop Porto at their very best !

Very true, he has been a nightmare in goal lol, I remember a free kick he went to catch but it was too strong so he parried it up in the air and was so small the ST jumped up and headed it as it was coming back down to his hands.

J.Rodriguez in for C.Rodriguez?

Thats the interesting bit of team news I want to know

 

[Alex]

Porto 8-0 Braga.

Andre Villas Boas x8.

Boas shows he is more than just a manager and proves his qualities by coming off the bench in the 83rd minute and bags one a minute and wins the Europa League for Porto. What a ******* machine.

I love you Andre.

 

[DMF]

Porto 4-0 Braga - Falcao x3, Hulk

They'll be too good. Wanted to put a fiver on a Porto win, got odds of 2/9 :S

 

[Alex]

Porto 4-0 Braga - Falcao x3, Hulk

They'll be too good. Wanted to put a fiver on a Porto win, got odds of 2/9 :S

Stuff a fiver, chuck £500 on it.

With Andre ( :wub: ) in charge, you cannot fail.

 

[Calum]

5-0 Porto

Falcao x4

Hulk

 

[*Paul*]

Very true, he has been a nightmare in goal lol, I remember a free kick he went to catch but it was too strong so he parried it up in the air and was so small the ST jumped up and headed it as it was coming back down to his hands.

J.Rodriguez in for C.Rodriguez?

Thats the interesting bit of team news I want to know

I think Cristian, maybe? He is more experienced, managers normally favour the more experiences in important games.

 

[Jamie.]

I think Cristian, maybe? He is more experienced, managers normally favour the more experiences in important games.

Nooooo Christians ruled out mate, if this was me in charge of Porto right now I would pick this team:

GK-Helton

DR- Sapunaru (Not really trusted and I can not blame Andre, probably go with Sereno instead)
CB- Maicon
CB- Otamendi
DL- Perreira
CM- Moutinho
CM- Guarin
CM- Ruben Micael/Souza
RW- Hulk
ST- Falcao
LW- J.Rodriguez

Fernando/Walter have a chance of making it in but I think he will go for Micael/Souza instead

My fear is that he will go for Rolando over Maicon to be honest, I hope he doesn't.

Whatever Boas does he will win.

 

[connocfc67]

braga 0 - 0 porto 90 min 91 min however alan scores for braga from a freekick and shocks the world

 

[Shay Given]

If I hadnt been a *** all year and learned to drive I would be going to this.

 

[Brian]

If I hadnt been a *** all year and learned to drive I would be going to this.

Tempted to go but cba finding tickets. As Braga didnt sell their allocation and hardly anybody wants them as City or Pool didnt make it

 

[Jamie.]

A high profile European game in IRELAND....in DUBLIN while the Queen is making a high profile visit to...IRELAND and DUBLIN surely thats a bad thing?

Especially when half the ROI police is out protecting the queen, would not put it past the dissident's to attack this game to be honest. Pretty wretched timing by UEFA

^ Penny just dropped in my head about it all coming together

 

[*Paul*]

Nooooo Christians ruled out mate, if this was me in charge of Porto right now I would pick this team:

GK-Helton

DR- Sapunaru (Not really trusted and I can not blame Andre, probably go with Sereno instead)
CB- Maicon
CB- Otamendi
DL- Perreira
CM- Moutinho
CM- Guarin
CM- Ruben Micael/Souza
RW- Hulk
ST- Falcao
LW- J.Rodriguez

Fernando/Walter have a chance of making it in but I think he will go for Micael/Souza instead

My fear is that he will go for Rolando over Maicon to be honest, I hope he doesn't.

Whatever Boas does he will win.

Porto have a very scarily good and young attack, and a decent midfield too. They may need to strengthen at the back this summer, though, to become an UCL force.

 

[Shay Given]

A high profile European game in IRELAND....in DUBLIN while the Queen is making a high profile visit to...IRELAND and DUBLIN surely thats a bad thing?

Especially when half the ROI police is out protecting the queen, would not put it past the dissident's to attack this game to be honest. Pretty wretched timing by UEFA

^ Penny just dropped in my head about it all coming together

They wont attack a match between two Portuguese teams. That would lose them the little support they have.

 

[Brian]

A high profile European game in IRELAND....in DUBLIN while the Queen is making a high profile visit to...IRELAND and DUBLIN surely thats a bad thing?

Especially when half the ROI police is out protecting the queen, would not put it past the dissident's to attack this game to be honest. Pretty wretched timing by UEFA

^ Penny just dropped in my head about it all coming together

Nah dont worry about it, The Aviva is probably the safest place to be tomorrow. Barack is coming later this week too. The main problems for the match are transport which is greatly disrupted due to the Queens visit

 

[Jamie.]

Worried myself for a minute there.

 

[Blynd1]

edit: stupid post by me . sorry

 

[Shay Given]

Litlle support? Benfica (even if i hate them) is on guiness book for being the most supported team on earth... also litlle money aswell... still we dont need to waste rivers of money to win an european throphy like you need in england... Not going to say Ireland and Wales because you don't even have proper football.. And scotland isn't better at all

Please re-read what I wrote, then apologise.